Thread. I’m a care leaver and I last lived with my mum when I was 12. I don’t have much contact with my real family (zero pretty much) and I’ve been alone family wise my whole life more or less. (This is not a sob story I promise) https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☝🏻" title="Up pointing index (light skin tone)" aria-label="Emoji: Up pointing index (light skin tone)">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😆" title="Smiling face with open mouth and tightly-closed eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with open mouth and tightly-closed eyes">

I’ve had no babysitters, no “wider family support” Zilch! So when I had my own kids I’ll be honest with you I’m no natural Mary Poopins, Play Dough Mom type. Def not https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✋🏻" title="Raised hand (light skin tone)" aria-label="Emoji: Raised hand (light skin tone)">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😆" title="Smiling face with open mouth and tightly-closed eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with open mouth and tightly-closed eyes">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😆" title="Smiling face with open mouth and tightly-closed eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with open mouth and tightly-closed eyes"> But https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☝🏻" title="Up pointing index (light skin tone)" aria-label="Emoji: Up pointing index (light skin tone)">I vowed that I would do the best I was capable of and that no matter what . . .

I would do the best I was capable of and never flunk out. It was not easy and I didn’t make it easy on myself either https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😆" title="Smiling face with open mouth and tightly-closed eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with open mouth and tightly-closed eyes"> I had my first 3 babies inside 24 months like any true ADHD’er would https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😝" title="Face with stuck-out tongue and tightly-closed eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Face with stuck-out tongue and tightly-closed eyes"> Act now, worry about it later https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙌🏻" title="Person raising both hands in celebration (light skin tone)" aria-label="Emoji: Person raising both hands in celebration (light skin tone)">

There were times right in the beginning where I was like God this is not easy is it https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😗" title="Kissing face" aria-label="Emoji: Kissing face"> what have I actually gone and done here - have I bitten off more than I can chew https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😳" title="Flushed face" aria-label="Emoji: Flushed face"> But then I was like crap I’m all these innocent little people have! I’ve bitten so I’ve GOT to chew !!!

Wasn’t quite sure how I was gonna do it https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙈" title="See-no-evil monkey" aria-label="Emoji: See-no-evil monkey"> Just knew was going to always try my best and where I fell short was going to up my game and do better. There were things I was determined that these children were never ever going to experience if I could help it https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Red heart" aria-label="Emoji: Red heart">

And so 2 of my kids are nearly adults. My 13 year old daughter is older than I was when I left my family. 3 of my kids are older than I was when I had my own flat and lived alone! (I was 16). They have never known hunger, cold and they’ve never experienced abuse

They’ve had childhoods and bar one divorce have had a stable home life and are becoming good and kind adults and I look back and I’m like PHEW https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😅" title="Smiling face with open mouth and cold sweat" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with open mouth and cold sweat"> I did it https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😉" title="Winking face" aria-label="Emoji: Winking face"> Don’t know how but I did and I’m very proud of that https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Red heart" aria-label="Emoji: Red heart"> More proud than any degree or SEND win or anything else at all https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙌🏻" title="Person raising both hands in celebration (light skin tone)" aria-label="Emoji: Person raising both hands in celebration (light skin tone)">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Red heart" aria-label="Emoji: Red heart">