Listen to this story being read by Laura Jackel, here.
I am a mum of two boys, my eldest son is 11 and my youngest son is five and as their actual biggest fans, I think they are gorgeous.
After years of loving them and taking thousands of photos to capture treasured memories of their sweet faces, it physically hurts my heart when they tell me they dislike something about their appearance.
It might be a perceived facial flaw they see in one of my many photos, or when they tell me they wish they had 'abs' like fitness trainer Joe Wicks on YouTube. I always respect their wishes and delete any photo they dislike and I try to reassure them. I also explain that Joe Wicks is an adult and they are still kids - so the abs might have to wait.
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It hurts of course because I am their mother; I made them and I think they are beautiful as they are and at every stage. I understand their feelings, however, because I am human and I have spent a lifetime disliking and then learning to accept parts of my appearance.
I was an awkward ginger-haired, freckle-faced skinny kid myself, but at school I had a close group of friends that protected me from any nasty bullying. I recall wishing my freckles away and wanting blonde 'princess hair' like Barbie.
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