Readers respond: What do you know about your mother's life before she had you?
Many of us a guilty to forgetting our parents had lives of their own before they brought their children into the world.
We asked our readers what they discovered about their mother's life before she became a mum, and the response was overwhelming.
Here's what they said.
Georgina Johnson - Mum was in the Army during WW2. That’s how she met Dad. Before that she had wonderful parents and siblings, left school at 14 and lost her only brother in 1945 in New Guinea. That event defined Mum and her family.
Robyn Chalmers - My mother had great childhood. Two lovely brothers. Was a Triple Certificated nurse by 1944. Nursed in a third World Country. Always laughing. Lots of energy.
Stanley Freeman - Not enough. Her mother died in 1918 during the flu epidemic. My mother was just 3 years old.
Elaine Stewart - My mother was the second eldest of sixteen children. She went to school until she was twelve and then went to work and paid all her wages to her father until she was 21. She married my darling father when she was 25 and her life from then on was wonderful as she never wanted for anything and the marriage was truly blessed.
Wendy Mack - Sadly she didn’t have the easiest life, but with all she had thrown at her, she always saw the good side of people and never judged.
Jackie Ferguson - My Mum had to sit in her house with bombs dropping everywhere. She was petrified and then I arrived!
Esma Adger - My mother had a hard life. Raised in a convent, not until late in her life did she discover who she was. Her life story was amazing.
Brenda Vera Bennett - My dear Mum had me at an early age and kept me without a lot of help from family. Unfortunately taken too early at 60yrs with cancer. I hope I am as strong a woman as Mum was.
Jill Howell - My mother wrote a journal about her younger life. Parts of it were read at her funeral. She passed away last February at the grand age of 99.
Kay Montebello - I’m lucky enough to still listen to Mum tell us stories of her and six siblings growing up. At age 96, she has great memories of a very happy childhood.
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