If your mum is your best pal, you’re not alone. Almost half of Brits class their mum as their closest friend, according to new research.
43 per cent of the 2,000 British adults surveyed by One4all, the Post Office gift card, said their mum was one of their best friends. When asked to describe their relationship with their mum, most respondents said she ‘plays a much bigger role in their life than just a parental figure’.
Almost a quarter of us speak to our mums every day, with 29 per cent of us making the effort to see our mamas at least once a week.
Aoife Davey, group marketing manager at One4all Gift Cards, said: “It’s really lovely to see on Mother’s Day just how much of an important role British mums are playing in their children’s lives, even when they have grown up.
“From the number of respondents who consider their mum one of their best friends, to the amount Britons see and speak to their mums, it’s clear to see that the relationship is, in fact, more of a friendship out of choice rather than a parental one.”
So, why do our mums make such good friends?
They’re a great shoulder to cry on – It’s only natural to go to our mums when we are feeling low or need help with life problems. Almost one in three of us will turn to our mum first in times of trouble.
They’re fun to hang out with – A quarter of respondents said they enjoy socialising with their mums. Hardly surprising – they have decades’ worth of stories to tell and wisdom to impart.
They’re great as grandparents – Many millennials turn to their own parents for support when they have children – and who better to watch the kids while you’re at work than grandma?
We live with them – More and more of us are either flying the nest later or moving back in with our mums, either due to caring responsibilities or sky-high rents. It’s only natural, then, that we form strong bonds with our mums which endure well into adulthood.
They sometimes know us better than we know ourselves – Having raised us, mums have an uncanny ability to know how we are feeling, what we are doing, and what we need most. Sometimes.
She’s your number one cheerleader – One in three of us would tell our mums first if we got good news. Of course we would!
What makes your mum the best friend in the world? Let us know in the comments!
