From your toddler’s tentative first steps to teaching them to ride a bike and the magic of going through lines for their first play, being a mum or dad means a lifetime of sharing moments of joy with your children.
The best part? Each day brings a new thing to smile about. Or several...
The Huffington Post UK has teamed up with Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons to celebrate these small moments of joy, asking mums to share with us their most treasured memories of fun with their little ones. This is what they told us...
"One of the most joyful moments that Evie and I share is talking about what happened in her Saturday ballet class. Nattering about what went on, her favourite parts, seeing her tell it all with a massive smile on her face. It makes me feel so proud."
Liz, mum to Evie, age 3
“It makes my son Samuel and I so happy when we have cuddles together. I’ll say something like, “Will you always give me cuddles?” and he’ll say: “Yes! Even when you transform into a granny.” He’s hilarious.”
Helen, mum to Samuel, age 5
"Learning to get more confident in the swimming pool together on holiday. We were trying to coax Cillian into jumping in because he was being all shy, just dipping his feet in and sitting by the side, and then, suddenly, out of nowhere, he just bombed in! He was so happy and it was so lovely to watch."
Lisa, mum to Cillian, age 3
"Zarian was in bed and it was time for a story. He chose the book that be wanted me to read – Monsters University. He has never seen the films, so he was all excited to hear all about Mike and Sulley. He was trying his best to stay awake so that he could enjoy their journey to the end."
Teresa, mum to Zarian, age 3
"My favourite thing to do with Rufus is to read with him. It’s wonderful to see how much he loves books, which were my greatest love when I was little too. He gets totally engrossed in what's going on and does voices for the characters and acts out the plot, which is hilarious!"
Sam, mum to Rufus, age 3
"It’s so much fun listening to the crazy, hilarious things my son says, the stories he makes up and songs he invents. Everyday I look forward to seeing what’s going on in that imaginative head of his!"
Joelle, 31, mum to Aleksei, age 3
"One of our happiest moments is just picking dandelions in the garden and making wishes as they blow away."
Dannielle, mum to Harper, age 3
"When I took Jack to our local fun fair for the first time. He went on lots of rides, and then, at the end, we went on one together. Magic."
Rhian, mum to Jack, age 5
"My absolute favourite time with the children would be in the holidays on the days when I have them all to myself – no school. On numerous occasions, discussions about characters in a book has led to us making a 'shoe box theatre' with full set of actors, costumes and props. I’m often in total awe of their imaginations."
Nicola, mum to Finn, age 7, and Mollie, age 5
"When Liora was three and we were in Paris, and she walked down the entire length of the Tuileries from the Louvre without asking to be carried once, and we chatted about everything we saw. The fun lies in balance: appreciating how big she's become while also savouring her littleness before she outgrows it. Bittersweet, but definitely fun."
Mara, 32, mum to Liora, age 6
“My girls and I love our books-in-bed sessions. We each grab as many books as we can, dive under the covers together and spend the next hour or two reading, chatting, snuggling and cuddling. Other times, we throw down all of the duvets, make a den, and read to each other on the floor, resting on a beanbag.”
Jen, 33, mum to Diana, age 5 and Liv, age 3