This Sunday is Mothering Sunday; an opportunity for us to say thank you to all the mothers out there!
To help celebrate some wonderful women living at Anchor properties have been talking about their some of experiences and favourite parenting memories.
June Brewerton, 84 pictured above
“I was married for four years before I had the baby I had always longed for. I just loved being a new mother however I must say I’ve loved being a grandmother too and was overjoyed when I became a great-grandmother! I’m very fortunate, we’re a close family; I look at their pictures every day and think how lucky I am.
“When I started having children, my mum always said to me that I should never leave them to go to work, so I didn’t. I think that’s very different for mums today, more of them have to go to work compared to when I was bringing up my children. My one piece of advice for mothers today is to have patience. It can be tough, but I think it’s really important, especially with the little ones.
“The best thing I ever got for Mother’s Day was a phone call from my granddaughter, telling me I had become a great-grandmother. This year I got sent a lovely invitation in the post to join my granddaughter and her family for a party on Mother’s Day. She’s coming to pick me up and I can’t wait!”
Mrs Wynifred Lilian Hudson, 99, says: “When I was born I weighed just 2lb 4oz. My mother reared us without all the technology they have today. She mother was strict, a wonderful mother who cooked nourishing food. She was, in my view an ideal mother and she also worked as a cook to pay for my sister’s hospital bills. The one thing I do wish is that she had told me about having children – you just didn’t talk about those things at that time.
“I worked at Peter Jones (part of John Lewis Partnership) for 28 years. When I first started it was war time and we only sold second hand things. They were a wonderful company to work for; they still keep in touch on my birthday and at Christmas every year.
“The best Mother’s Day gift I ever had from my children was when they came home from church with a little bunch of daffodils. Their faces were beaming with pride and joy at giving me these flowers.
“My advice to mothers? Be regular with your children – get their eating and sleeping into a routine as early as possible. Be firm with them. I think children have far too much today and they have no sense of value. My children used to get pocket money and each birthday got a few coppers extra. When my son was 8 years old he bought his own bike after saving money he earned from his paper round and from helping an elderly lady in the neighbourhood. It taught him to work for his money, and he always worked until he took an apprenticeship to become an electrician, which he did until his retirement.”
Mrs Elizabeth Harper, 103
“My favourite memory of motherhood so far is playing with the children when they were young. The best gift I have ever received for Mother’s Day is a trip on a cruise, but I’d really be very happy just with a card this year.
“I think it’s important to instil discipline and respect in your children. I think mothers today definitely have better gadgets to help them in the home which we didn’t have – things like washing machines and dishwashers. My advice to them is to enjoy their children while they can – they grow up fast!”
Mrs Pamela Smith, 72
“The best gift I have ever received for Mother’s Day was a lily that my son dug up from the council’s flower bed in Coney Hall! All I’m after this year is to have some time and hugs with them.
“My favourite memories of motherhood are all from our holidays together in the sun. I wish that other mums had warned me how quickly your children grow up!”
Mrs Iris Grace Dady, 94
“To me, becoming a mother was just in the natural order of things and I consider myself blessed to have been able to have children. I was a widow at the age of 32 with three young sons and I am very proud of my boys; they have never let me down.
“Of course, back then you had to wash nappies and there were none of the mod-cons like baby food in jars and the health and social care there is today. But then you felt so much safer and you could just let your children go out to play. You were not worried about ‘stranger danger’ and temptations such as drugs; these were never so apparent in my time.
“Although it is the custom today to give your mother flowers or a gift on Mother’s Day, and I have had many, what I really look forward to is another occasion for our family to get together and enjoy each other’s company. Having a loving family is the best gift in the world.
“I think parents should be kind and patient with their children but not spoil them. Set them a good example yourself and, above all, teach them to have respect for others. The one thing I’ve tried to teach my children is that you can only be truly great if you can also be truly humble”.
Let’s celebrate all mothers this Mothering Sunday!
