‘A mother’s work is never done!’ - Love and cherish your mum

As a mother of five children, ranging from taller-than-me teenager to weaning baby, you can probably imagine I have very little time to consider things that don’t revolve around my family, household, work and then more of the same.

So I often lack the distance I need to be able to stop and really smell the roses outside of the walls of these demands.

I remember my mum telling me “A mother’s work is never done” and gosh, don’t I see the truth in that now!

Aside from the real work, I seem to spend most of my day picking up after people – socks and shoes strewn, crumbs, wrappers, books, toys, oh and let’s not forget the Lego!

It’s the norm, and I’m sure every parent out there is knowingly nodding along with me here.

Well, today I got some distance to reflect and I intended to write about motherhood, but rather than think about my children and anecdotes from our life, all I can think of is that rose outside my motherhood walls, my own mother.

We likely do not fully mature our appreciation of our parents’ efforts until we go through parenthood ourselves.

I look at my mother now with totally different eyes than I had when I was my teenage son’s age, and I appreciate the true meaning of maturity when I see her.

I look at this woman now, with hands that are tired and aching and whose beautiful face has as many worry lines as laughter lines, and who stresses and loses sleep over us just the same now as when we were small.

I see her picking up after my children when we visit her, and I realise that her job is not over just because we are grown.

It continues on another level, her motherhood is different from mine.

But I remember how easy she made it look, and all the simple things which made life so fun for us!

As I’ve grown, I’ve seen the woman who was once giant to me, become smaller, more vulnerable.

Less heroine and more human, but I love her more for it.

And now, as I’m going through the motions and am right in the thick of the highest challenges of motherhood, I am thankful for the example she has set and the way she taught me to cope, for the advice she has given me.

I am remembering all the ways in which she has cheered me on and lifted me up.

I learned from her how to be brave, yet through her, I realise that allowing yourself to be weak is as important as being strong.

So whenever your busy life allows it, water and tend to those roses, do not wait for them to start to wilt.

It is important that we are mindful of those that nurtured and shaped us.

We will all be roses outside one day, we will watch our children grow and learn like we have.

Cherish it all.

• Megan Reece is a mother and Wolverhampton singer who shot to prominence on hit talent show The Voice.