It's not often that I feel proud to be British. Usually, my nationality is nothing more than a fact about myself that I have to fill in on the various forms I have had to complete throughout the course of my life. However, these last two weeks have launched my inner patriot into overdrive and I am bubbling over with pride in my country.
When I first discovered that the Olympics were coming to London, I was nonplussed! I am not that interested in most sports on TV as a rule and the thought of London 2012 hijacking our telly channels for a fortnight seemed excessive. How wrong could I have been!
From the brilliantly British Opening Ceremony I was hooked. I went on to watch cycling, swimming, rowing, boxing, archery and other random sports, many of which I didn't even understand the rules of. I quickly began to recognise many of Team GB's sporting greats alongside the old familiar faces of Bolt, Phelps et al and excitedly followed their Olympic journeys through heats, semi-finals and then the glory of the finals themselves. I celebrated every success and shed many a tear at the emotional medal ceremonies.
The atmosphere of all the venues and the respect shown by the British audiences to athletes of all nationalities was humbling. We are a nation often criticized for being rude and disrespectful, but the people who usually give us this bad reputation stayed away. There was no trouble at all. No negativity. No protests. No violence. We did ourselves proud on the global stage. We were able to forget our economic problems and put aside our differences. After all the troubles in the UK it was like a breath of fresh air to see us united, happy and all working towards a common goal.
The Closing Ceremony was a triumph, celebrating Britsish music, sports, vehicles, comedy and culture. It made me realise just how 'great' Britain is. How our reach and influence transcends global boundaries. How amazing we actually are as a nation. The Spice Girls arriving in their personalised black cabs was a joyous moment. OK, they are basically now just a bunch of 30-something mums whose kids were probably hideously embarrassed...but hell, they invented "Girl Power"! Take That singing their beautiful and oh so poignant "Rule the World" made me sob. Gary Barlow was so brave and so professional, my heart broke for him. Seeing our music greats from across the decades on giant screens, or watching them perform aboard iconic road vehicles was just genius. We really know how to put on a show. We are relevant, current and we are the trendsetters that the world follows.
This fortnight has put our nation on the world map as a creative, innovative, talented and incredibly welcoming bunch. With my faith restored in humanity and my pride in my country rekindled, I look forward to doing it all again for the Paralympics!
I can only imagine how the mums of the sportsmen and women in Team GB must be feeling right now, knowing that in a few short weeks their children will be competing in the Olympics. Being watched by a global audience of millions, this will be their opportunity to show the world what they can do. A culmination of years of being nurtured to become the best they can be.
Our children won't all become Olympic athletes, but each and every one of our children will have their own unique dreams and ambitions that they will strive to achieve, and it is our job as parents to support them, cheer them on and be proud of their achievements.
Being a mum of five means I have had plenty of moments where my heart has swelled with pride at the achievements of my children. From the moment that each of them were born, every milestone has been celebrated. I have always tried my best to encouragement them and facilitate them with what they needed to succeed in what they were setting out to do. Whether that meant putting a spoon in their chubby hands for them to take their first independent spoonful of baby rice, or helping them to put together an application for university, I have relished my role. I feel so honoured in that I get to help my children become the best version of themselves that they can be. I won't take credit for their success, but to know I played a part is a humbling experience and one of the most amazing aspects of being a parent.
P & G have made eight documentary style videos of a selection of Olympic Mums talking about their children who will be competing in London this summer. They are really emotional and I shed a tear or two, especially at the mother of Paralympian Ben Rushgrove talking about her son's achievements.
My children have all filled me with pride so many times, but I want to share a few of the achievements of my older children here in this post. You won't find any tales of Olympic Gold, but all my kids are winners in so many other ways.
Megan is just 20 years old. Within the last month she has graduated from the University of Manchester with a 2:1 in Business Marketing and Management. With her heights set high she began job hunting and has already been offered a position as a Marketing Executive for a company specialising in healthcare. With a job offer under her belt, she has found a swanky and modern flat in the city centre that she will be sharing with her equally motivated and ambitious friend Abi as they embark on their new life as a couple of young professionals in a vibrant and exciting city. The possibilities are endless and I am so immensely proud that Megan has the tools and the go-getting personality to achieve exactly what she wants to achieve in life. Plus, she still phones her mum everyday!
Megan and Ella
Ella has just finished her GCSEs and got herself a place in a really impressive college to study her A'Levels. She wants to improve her education by studying subjects which were not on offer at the local school sixth form. So she is prepared to travel for an hour on the bus twice a day to achieve her goal. Given that she sometimes struggles with change, this is a massive step for her and I am so proud that she is thinking to the future and creating opportunities for herself. And she continues to be a wonderful musician, sharing her love of music with her friends and family which brings so much joy to us all.
My eldest son Joe's attitude to his job and his desire to succeed in the workplace has always impressed me and made me proud. He never wanted to take the academic route through life and has instead worked his way up the employment ladder using his personality and his determination to his advantage. And now he is about to become a dad he has really buckled down and made some 'grown-up' decisions to better the life of his family. A couple of weeks ago he moved house to provide a better home for his girlfriend, himself and for their baby. He has stepped up to the mark like a real man. His girlfriend is suffering with terrible sickness in her pregnancy which is not improving. They are not having an easy time at all but they are coping admirably through a difficult phase in their lives. My once little boy and my first born son has done me so proud!
Having Fun In Joe's New House
I will always be the number one fan and most tireless supporter of my children's endeavours. I will be cheering them on from the virtual sidelines of their lives giving them whatever I can to help them succeed. I will provide love, support, advice and practical help at every step. Even as my eldest three children become the amazing adults they were always destined to become, my role as their mother does not diminish. Instead it evolves as I see my children taking on new responsibilities, achieving new goals and planning their own futures. I am as proud of them now as I have always been.
I love that at the same time that I am preparing my youngest child, 3 year old Freddy, for his next big adventure in life and taking pride in his pre-school milestones, I can also help my eldest son prepare to be a parent himself. And as 9 year old Kizzy receives yet another glowing report at school, I can also witness my eldest daughter graduate with honours. I love being a mum to my five children and I am so proud as I celebrate their successes!
