As the saying goes, life doesn’t come with a manual, it comes with a mother. The relationship you have with your mother will define all the days of your life. Irish women share their mother’s wisdom with Rosaleen McMeel in this new series. We’re also asking you, our reader, what life lessons has your mother taught you? 

To share #WhatMyMotherTaughtMe, email us on digital@thegloss.ie or share a picture or video on Instagram, make sure to tag and follow us @theglossmag and @butlerschocolate so we can see your entries. We will share some of our favourite stories on thegloss.ie over the coming weeks…

STEFANIE PREISSNER, Writer

There are a few things that my mother taught me that I will never be able to do differently. The most useful is how she would hang the boil-in-the-bag rice off the kitchen tap to let it drain into the sink. It was the original life hack. She also taught me to leave the roll of bin bags in the bottom of the bin so they’re always ready to replace the full bag. Thanks to her I can make the best spaghetti bolognese this side of Rome. And those are just the domestic lessons! @stefaniepreissner

PAULA MC CLEAN Founder of SUBC, Breast Cancer Advocate

Mum always fixed things without actually trying to fix them. I do the same with my girls now. My mum has never allowed anything to hold her back. She taught me even in the face of adversity to get up, show up and get on with it. We call her Pocket Rocket. She’s tiny but forceful and has incredible amounts of energy. Even though I can’t sing, she encouraged me to sing and to dance anyway! Always dance. My mum lights up when she’s dancing. It makes me smile. She’s taught me you are never too old to act young. @paulastyleunravels

MARY KENNEDY, Broadcaster

My mother was heroic. In the Irish Mammy way. She put herself last always. She devoted herself to her home and family and reared us diligently. She had her mantras: ‘Keep your dignity’, ‘Imagine yourself in the other person’s shoes’. Both served me well and taught me valuable lessons about the importance of respecting others. If I could turn back the clock, however, I’d love her to have had a more carefree and fun-loving attitude to life. She was a desperate worrier and maybe that aspect of her personality taught me a valuable lesson also, to enjoy life and people, and have lots of laughs. @marykennedyrte

MARGARET O’ROURKE, Owner MoMuse

My mum was a special woman and even though she is no longer with me I treasure her lessons. She was a real people person and loved chatting to young and old, hearing about their lives. She was a giver and believed in sharing. People were always more important than a bank balance. I try to embody this in MoMuse as much as I can with our Random Acts of Kindness and our support for charities like Pieta House. @momusejewellery

Three GLOSS readers share what life lessons their mothers taught them …

Sinead Lawless @sineadlawlessartist

– How to find the magic in things
– Noticing the small details
– A love of nature and animals
– How to read a great bedtime story
– Appreciation of the arts
– Strength

Tina Koumarianos @koumarianostina

My mother taught me to “Always think before you say something, how would I feel if he/she said that to me” and “The MOST important thing in life is to be natural, not affected.”

Geraldine Desmond @gerrydessy

“My mother is the bravest person I know – she was widowed in her forties and raised my brother and I on her own and overcame many obstacles including a cancer diagnosis but taught me to be kind, instilled strength and grace and a good sense of humour. My interest in art, appreciation of nature and charitable causes stems from her. She is my best friend and my daily inspiration.”

Read #WhatMyMotherTaughtMe: Part One

Read #WhatMyMotherTaughtMe: Part Two

Read #WhatMyMotherTaughtMe: Part Three