Hannah found that her mum really receded into herself during the job hunt, and it wasn’t until she went to see someone that things started turning around: ‘I think it’s impossible to job hunt when you’re depressed, because you’re so much less productive,’ she says. ‘When my mum felt really down, having someone to talk to meant she felt like she was taking care of herself, and it gave her the confidence to keep applying. She did eventually get a job, but it wasn’t until she’d started taking citalopram.’ When mine was being really vile I would leave the room. I remember saying things like I am not prepared to listen to your screaming at me. I am going to have a cup of tea and you can tell me when you've calmed down. Another lovely gift and one I’ve tried out myself, the Afternoon Tea for two voucher from Buyagift can be used at locations all across the country. Relationships come under strain when stuff like this happens, so make sure you’re there for both of them. Otherwise, you could end up with two really sad parents and nobody wants that. That’s the worst.

Having children has made my sister, Petra, and me even closer. Her daughter is a year older than Sophia, so it’s nice to have that person to just say: “Is this normal?” I also have a 62-year-old half-sister called Deborah from Dad’s first marriage but I don’t know her at all. I don’t have anything against her, but our paths have never crossed. I can't be out with her all of the time, I can't play with her all of the time, I just want a little bit of time just to hear myself think and with my exhaustion just to sit down on the sofa for a minute. I said it wasn’t enough and I already told her I wanted the rice. She said she cant read my mind and that I should’ve told her I wanted ONLY rice and no pasta. I said I couldn’t read her mind, if she asked I assumed she would leave it for me, but I’m adjusting myself by not causing a fuss and making more. She has a bedtime routine. Same as her sister and has been the same for years. She goes to bed about 7.45-8pm and is allowed to read as long as she likes (if I go in and take her book off her, she just gets up. I figure it’s better that she’s in bed reading at 10pm than wandering about…).

lose (one's) shit

One of my favourite bloggers, Matt Coyne from Man vs Baby, never fails to make me laugh. I’m a bit of an awkward fan girl if anything, and he’s only seen me steaming drunk so he probably thinks I’m very strange. Not far wrong to be fair. I tried not to laugh, but I did. My oldest chimed in with, “Yeah buddy, it’s gone. Mom went crazy on that penguin.” I was 23 or 24 when my parents divorced and it was awful. I think the older you are, the worse it is, because you have had all those Christmases and birthdays together and all those amazing memories. Maybe the younger you are, the more oblivious you are and you just get used to how things are. Suddenly, I felt so guilty about who I should see for Christmas. I felt totally torn.

Recent close friend who read my message at Christmas about my mum in hospice and just didn't reply. I don't understand this at all, we live in different places now but she again would regularly refer to me as a best/ close friend. I was there for her when her dad got cancer, and though I lived elsewhere was in touch when her sister in law died. Wine and chocolate is a classic when it comes to Mother’s Day presents, and for a reason. This luxury personalised gift hamper from Farrar and Tanner contains a bottle of very decent Calvet Chateauneuf-du-Pape, a jar of exceedingly moreish chocolate almonds and some gorgeous stem ginger.I’m so blessed that I come from such a close family. Even though my parents are divorced, I’m so close to everyone in my family. My sister is my best friend and just having that relationship with her has got me through so many situations. When my parents got divorced, she was the only person that really understood. I have always been able to depend on her and I hope she feels that she could depend on me. I've always just tried to say to friends that I'm here - even if it's just to hold space for them - and I hope they know I mean it. I slept really well as a baby, then got to the age of about five and seemingly turned into an insomniac overnight. I'm 46 now and my mum still reminisces about my weird sleep issues. Ive lost my appetite, I feel guilty for not letting it go and just eating the damn pasta. I know I shouldn’t talk about myself like this but I feel stupid for not keeping my mouth shut. I fear this will continue the rest of the week. She told me not to cook for her ever again, tomorrow night the dinner dilemma will continue. The week started out with the common daily issues we all face in our households. There was a ton of screaming, crying, fist fighting, food throwing, running, and tattle telling.

I now feel absolutely horrible. He’s due to see his dad tomorrow and I know he’s going to complain about me to him. He goes to a yugioh club after school once a week and now won’t be able to go as he has no cards. His parents are splitting up and I’ve just thrown his favourite thing in the world out of the window.He’s 7yo and it’s the first time I’ve ever been absolutely furious with him. I’ve just split up from Dh and with that and the stress of trying to keep my elderly parents safe and well I’m just done in and exhausted emotionally and physically. However, they go from being angelic to absolute demons at night. Especially the eldest (7). I’m struggling to keep it together. I end up losing the rag which just makes me feel like the worlds worst mum. It can ruin an otherwise perfectly lovely day. I used to say I love you very much but I am not happy with your behaviour, it is not acceptable and I am not doing x,y,z with you until you can behave better. I work PT, when she's at nursery she's apparently 'the most independent, well behaved child' when she's with her dad she's 'so easy and just occupies herself' when we're with anyone else she's great, it's just when we're alone just us that she turns into a screaming demanding monster that not even CBeebies can help her to be quiet for 5 mins.

She is currently sobbing extremely loudly that it’s echoing through the house. She screamed “I’m mental I need to go to a mental hospital” and hit her head and cried loudly. I’m shaking my heart is pounding I don’t know what to do I’m home alone with her... Regardless of what happens, though, there are ways you can make everything a whole lot nicer. I spoke to a bunch of girls whose parents have either been made redundant, or lost their job, to see how they coped and what they did to make their parent’s lives at that point a little less shitter...I was doing a little experiment thing with him and ds2 where you put pepper in water and show how soap moves it (trying to encourage hand washing). I was in the middle of chatting to dc’s about it and ds1 just decided to leave the room. I said Man vs Toddlerexposes the lie that, that when it comes to parenting ‘it gets easier’. But it is just as foul-mouthed and heart-warming as Matt’s first book, and will have you laughing and crying with recognition as he shares his observations and advice on everything from tantrums to the horrors of soft-play. When a parent is prone to toxicity, they often have a Rolodex of biting phrases that come out on a regular basis. Things like “why don’t you just grow up” or “I never said that” might ring a bell. And if it truly is an ongoing problem, it can start to affect your relationship with them as well as how you feel about yourself.