Off we go again, this time it's more of a mental state of mind - the walk of life!

Let me start by saying that it's important to remember humans aren't the only ones who take steps to protect, nurture and raise their children. The animal kingdom has many Mums that take the time to teach their babies how to find food and protect themselves.

The bond between an Orangutan mother and her young is one of the strongest in nature. During the first two years of life, the young rely entirely on their mothers for both food and transportation. The Mums stay with their young for six to seven years, teaching them where to find food, what and how to eat and the technique for building a sleeping nest. 

As another example after laying an egg, the mother Emperor Penguin leaves it with a male who protects the fragile hard shell from the elements. The mother then travels up to 50 miles to reach the ocean and fish. She later returns to the hatching site to regurgitate the food to the newly hatched chicks.

Mum

So let's get down to our Mum. There is one Mum in everyone's life and that is the mother of the child. 

Mum is the most thick skinned person you will ever meet, she is determined and gets through the darkest of scenarios to support her children. Beneath this is the most humble, loving, generous person in our lives.

I have three of these in my life: my own Mum; my daughters Mum and my son's Mum. They are obviously all different but with similar characteristics. Lilly, I imagine will be a Mum in her own right one day and I will be a Grandad.

A Mum's life seems to revolve around having babies in their 20's (or 30's or even 40's now), being at home and seeing no one, other than the children, cleaning (unless they have a cleaner) and cooking probably twice a day, once for the kids and and then again for the Dad when he comes home. There is a bath or shower along the way and I'm not sure if this is at 6am or 6pm but either way there is a glass of wine involved and the red lipstick goes on and the house is clean for the grand entrance.

Having been in prison for 16 years and being given petty cash for food and clothes payments, the kids have grown up and Mum now is free to live her life. She gets a job, she parties and ultimately gets divorced wasting bundles of cash in the process.

Never forget that Mum is the source of bringing the family together. She is strong, emotional at times but has a very firm backbone.

Dad

On the other hand is like a Grizzly Bear 

Male grizzly bears are among the worst fathers. Male grizzlies are solitary and spend much of their time alone, except when it is time for mating. Female grizzly bears tend to mate with more than one male during mating season and cubs from the same litter sometimes have different fathers. After mating season, the male continues his solitary life and leaves the female with the responsibility of raising any future cubs. In addition to being an absentee dad, male grizzlies will sometimes kill and eat cubs, even their own. Therefore, mother grizzlies become fiercely protective of their cubs when a male is near and tend to avoid males altogether when caring for young.

Strangely, as I am the father of two amazing children (and Fred, a dog in if you want). I love parenthood but I do not like Dads. 

I have constant ringing of ‘you must do better' in my ears, ‘you came second!' 

That said Dad gave me invaluable values about how not to be a Dad and how to love and respect your children no matter how they perform in life.

Dads have an obsession with work and providing one solitary thing for their family which is money. How about matching that with some time, love and attention.

As a moment of complete nostalgia I'm about to restring some Pelham Puppets; Pinky & Perky and Gottle' O Geer, then make some Rum and Raisin and brown bread ice cream for the family.