This article hits particularly close and Alison puts perfectly into words what I'm currently experiencing. I've been a mum for over 23 years to five amazing kids. My last two are about to turn 11 years old and my daughter especially is starting to need less time with mum. Logically, I know that it's part of them becoming their own people, finding out who they are, but it's hard and it's heartbreaking at times. Mum is all I know how and who to be. I am in that "feeling like I'm going to be mourning the loss of their littleness forever" phase and it's going to be a bit of a dig to remember just who I am again, without little hands and bodies attached to me wherever I go.