Maya Angelou once said, ''To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colours of a rainbow.''
Parenthood is something that can't be described unless you are in it.
Before you become one, you're told that you'll be exhausted and broke but that it was all worth it, that it was the most rewarding jobs in the world.
And when our baby is put into your arms, or you meet your adopted child or your step-children - something clicks into place.
It's a love like you've never felt before and suddenly the world gets smaller - it's just you and your kid.
We all need a pearl of wisdom every now and then and now's a good a time as any so we've compiled a few words of wisdom from famous mums on what it means to be a parent.
“If you have never been hated by your child, you have never been a parent.” - Bette Davis
“Like all parents, my husband and I just do the best we can, and hold our breath, and hope we’ve set aside enough money to pay for our kids’ therapy.” - Michelle Pfeiffer
"Wyatt [my adopted son] is definitely all mine. Little souls find their way to you whether they're from your womb or someone else's." - Sheryl Crow
"I've learned the value of absorbing the moment. I remember the first time Ripley saw her shadow. My God, it was like shadows had just been invented. It was the most exquisite moment." - Thandie Newton
"I got pregnant, and I was like, 'Oh God, it worked! Oh no!' Chris [Ivery, my husband] and I were super happy, then I got terrified! Will I know how to do everything right? Of course, nobody does everything right, but as long as your baby is the priority, that's the best you can do." - Ellen Pompeo
''If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much.'' - Jackie Kennedy
"As a mom, you have to look at how much time you're spending with your kids. There is nothing you will regret more in your life - nothing - than not being present for your children." - Jamie Lee Curtis
"I don't think empathy is something you can drill in someone's head. You have to have faith that while your kids can seem to be selfish and concerned only about the word 'mine' sometimes, overall, they are watching you really carefully, and if you care about other people, they will too." - Jennifer Garner
“[A] mother is one to whom you hurry when you are troubled.” - Emily Dickinson
