Mothering is a never-ending learning curve. When my eldest planned her first trip abroad, I spent the weeks leading up to it hoping that something would happen to prevent it. Nothing did, of course, and I had to learn how to cope with my daughter in a strange country, far away from me. I also had to battle being that over-anxious mother and learn to trust that things would be okay. I forced myself into some real character-building lessons back then.