Laughing while being pushed on the park swings, blowing out candles on a birthday cake and enjoying family holidays, are memories which make us look back and smile as we go through our adult lives.
To me being a father to four girls is the most satisfying and important job in the world, and I'm hoping my children's joyful experiences will help shape them and prepare them for a happy and successful adult life.
But at Barnardo's we know not every child is in a safe and loving family. For many children the comfort and stability of a secure family home remains out of reach. Instead they rely on the love and support of foster carers to give them a better chance in life.
During Barnardo's Fostering and Adoption Week (January 23 to 29) we are paying tribute to these unsung heroes - the thousands of foster carers around the country who provide love and support for these children. By opening their hearts and their homes to a vulnerable child, they have given them a brighter future.
This is why the theme for the week is 'When You Believe in Me' and we are asking people to nominate a person that believed in them. To join in the campaign all you need to do is visit our website and fill out the card online.
This is the start of a year-long campaign with a target of 70,440 completed cards, as this represents the number of children in care. Sadly this number is growing and the Fostering Network estimates another 9,000 foster carers will be needed across the UK. The fostering sector needs more people to believe in children and come forward and be the stable basis for the happy future youngsters deserve.
The carers I meet make me feel confident there are others out there who would be willing to give a child a chance in life. I am always inspired by them and their capacity to love, their sheer generosity and their genuine interest in caring for children.
We are keen to recruit more people like this and want to hear from anyone who feels they have a lot of love to give. Barnardo's is keen to speak to anyone who is interested in fostering, whether they are parents or not. We do not exclude anyone from consideration on the grounds of marital status, gender, sexual orientation, disability or employment status.
As a fostering agency, Barnardo's believes every child has the right to a stable home and happy childhood. Without the right foster family to care for them, many vulnerable children may never experience the love and stability they so desperately need.
Anyone interested but nervous about the prospect of being a foster parent need not worry as with Barnardo's it is a partnership. We offer all our foster parents continued support, training and advice for as long as it is needed.
Find out more about fostering on our website or call the team on 08000 277280.
You can also join the discussion on social media using the hashtag #BelieveYouCan.