This year we’re celebrating Mother’s AND Other’s on the 22nd March so we’ve called in some of our HQ honeys and the wonderful, strong women in their lives to help us! Mums, ‘nums’ and bumps, get to know our RI families, their stories and their lessons they've learnt…
What’s the best thing about being a mum?
Nikki: That’s a difficult question actually. I suppose it’s watching them grow from being a baby to an adult. Watching them change and just becoming more proud.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt from your mum?
Rebecca: Oh god - that everyone I'm dating is wrong! Apart from the one now… I think manners were drummed into me from a young age. Always be polite. And kindness goes a long way. She was always someone who said that it costs nothing to be kind.
Nikki: Aw, that’s really sweet.
Rebecca: Oh god, don’t cry because I will!
What was the best bit of advice you’ve received from your mum?
Rebecca: To stop being so stubborn. I was quite stubborn growing up and I’ve actually taken it on board and finally in my thirties, learnt it. I think it’s more just being your own person and to not worry about society and everyone else. She just let me be my own person.
Nikki: I think as a mother you never feel like you’ve done enough or done your best. You always feel like you could've done better. You always look back and think ‘I could’ve done this’. So my advice to Becky is to cherish every moment and to appreciate everything because they grow up so quickly.
What has been your favourite memory together?
Rebecca: I’m not going to say the Ann Summers one!
Nikki: No, we got in trouble in there. We were trying on clothes and we shouldn’t have been in the same cubicle and I think the shop assistant was wondering what was going on and kicked us out. Another memorable one was also in a changing room. It’s always in a changing room isn’t it? It’s so embarrassing.
Rebecca: She falls over a lot.
Nikki: I lost my balance and I went to fall over. I put my hands out thinking they would save me but instead I slid right down into a downward dog. That was funny because I didn’t have much on at the time!
Rebecca: I think this is going to be a good memory. Having my first child and having her first grandchild who is already spoiled.
Nikki: I’m going to be at the birth as well. I’m her birthing partner as well as her partner so that’s going to be an experience.
Rebecca: Yeah because he isn’t emotional and clearly she is!
What’s your dream Mother’s Day gift?
Nikki: I don’t have any expectations for Mother’s Day.
Rebecca: You’re more sentimental than materialistic.
Nikki: I mean, gosh, the best would be a lovely holiday wouldn’t it? But just spending lovely time with my family and making memories is enough. I don’t expect any big gifts or anything. So the lunch will be lovely!
What are you most looking forward to about being a new mum?
Rebecca: Well, I’ve got a stepson so I’ve already done the toddler age. So I think it’s actually learning what the hell goes into looking after a baby! I’m already envisioning him as a toddler and what he’ll look like and what kind of personality he’ll have. I’m excited to know what his character will be. After years on Tinder and having terrible experiences on there, I'm excited to hopefully teach him to treat women well. He will get booted out if he doesn’t! I’m looking forward to raising a gentleman but I want him to be his own person at the same time.
Nikki: I’ve seen her interact with her stepson and I was absolutely flabbergasted at how good she is with him. Becky can be quite a selfish person because she’s been single and independent but the way she is with her stepson is just lovely. She does all his schoolwork, makes cakes and is very even tempered. I think she’s going to be a great mum.
What do you love about your outfits?
Rebecca: That it fit! We’re both more on the curvy side and obviously I’ve got a big old bump at the same time so I struggle to find an outfit that can actually stretch over! I didn’t know we did clothing like this because usually it is quite fitted. Mum didn’t know about the plus sizes either and always thought she couldn’t fit into River Island but she can.
Nikki: I thought the quality was really good too.
Can you tell us a bit about your story?
Ronnie: I was a really premature baby and I was really sick for a while and my mum was super young, so we moved in with my nan and I grew up there. When the time came for my mum to fly the nest and move into her own home, I refused to go with her. I said I didn’t want to leave and 30 years later…
Susan: He’s still here!
Ronnie: My whole childhood was spent with my nan and granddad. They were my parents. My nan came on all my school trips with me.
Susan: I did everything with him, swimming, karate…
Ronnie: She was there for me through college, uni – you came to my graduation didn’t you?
Susan: And River Island…
Ronnie: You’ve been a massive support to me all my life. She’s very much mum. I’ll get you mum card won’t I?
Susan: We spoil him rotten, still do.
Ronnie: Don’t tell everyone at work this! I need to look at least a little bit independent! It’s always been mum as opposed to nan.
Susan: You used to call me ‘num’ – in between nan and mum!
What’s the best thing about being a ‘mun’?
Susan: When they tell you that they love you.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt from your nan?
Ronnie: Whatever happens and whatever is thrown in your way, she’s been the strongest person I know and she doesn’t approach anything with negativity. Having cancer twice, and many other health issues, she tackles it head on and doesn’t give up and if I could be like that and have that mentality, then I’m happy.
Susan: He has got a lot of me in him.
What’s the best bit of advice she’s ever given you?
Ronnie: Be who you are and be happy because I spent a long time unhappy and not being the person I want to be and the one person in my whole life who’s made me feel comfortable enough to do that is my nan.
What’s your favourite memory that you have together?
Susan: We’ve got lots haven’t we! For me, Ron’s done a lot and achieved a lot to the best of his ability and that for me means the business and what makes it worthwhile.
Ronnie: Graduation was a very special moment for me as well because you always pushed me to work hard and go to uni and get an education and a career so to have her there as a parent was amazing.
Susan: That’s what we wanted for him, when he was a little boy we said to him you’ve got to do well at school so you can get nice things so when he got good reports, he got nice things because he was always good!
What would be your dream Mother’s Day gift?
Susan: A nice bottle of perfume.
Ronnie: That can be arranged!
Susan: And for Colin to be a right for the day.
Ronnie: That’s her husband. I can try and make that happen!
Susan: And for us to all be together, that’s all that matters.
What do you like about your outfits today?
Susan: I think it’s me. It looks like me. It’s beautiful – my bridesmaid was this colour! Peach!
Ronnie: I’m River Island through and through anyway so I’m maybe a bit biased but it’s my style. I’m pretty much wearing the same thing today, just different colours! It sums me up perfectly. I’m very River!
What is the best thing about being a mum?
Kim: Seeing her growing up, achieving and doing well.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned from your mum?
Amy: My mum is a hell of a fighter. She has always been quite independent. My mum has taught me how to be self-sufficient and put myself first. I’ve taken that with everything I do, to always try my hardest, push myself and put myself out there.
What is the best bit of advice you’ve received from your mum?
Amy: My mum said to me when I was 14 that I wasn’t allowed to have any boyfriends until I had finished university, got a good job, got a promotion, got myself a house and then I could consider it. I remember saying to her ‘so not until I'm thirty?!’ It got to the point when I was getting into my late teens and she said ‘why don’t you have a boyfriend yet?’ So, not really advice but she tried to give me advice when I was younger!
What is your favourite memory together?
Kim: Just spending a lot of family time together and holidays.
Amy: Our first time going on holiday together was last year and we went to Malta and Germany and it was all new to us. Actually for me, you’re going to hate this one, because it’s not a completely happy one. I was a bit of a troublemaker when I was younger and I used to upset my mum a lot. I didn’t always live with my mum I lived with my grandma. I remember my mum would visit and when she had to leave I remember her just sitting on the staircase crying. I’d see that and know it was because I’d done something to upset her but we couldn’t fix it because she was leaving. I realised that it really hurt her so now I appreciate the time I get to spend with her and not upsetting her. Even though you’re crying now!
What is your dream Mother’s Day gift?
Kim: I don’t really ask for much. I just like spending time with Amy more than anything now that she is grown up and has her own life.
What do you like about your outfits today?
Amy: For me I like things a bit different. I like a slight twist on outfits like, the bag I picked out with something that is quite grey. I like something that pops. Like my hair!
Kim: Well I'm used to it now. She used to shock me with all the different colours.
Amy: My favourite response from mum is when I ask ‘do you like this colour?’ and she says ‘not on me!’.
