If you're anything like us, your mother is quite likely the first person you’ll turn to in a crisis. We’ve put together a list of things we will always need our Mams for and let’s be honest, it really doesn’t matter what age you are. Home cooking You can eat in snazzy (Mam phrase, right there) upmarket restaurants but nothing beats a home cooked meal. If you’re living away from home and haven’t visited for a while, you might be treated to a weekend of Mam’s cooking. After frozen pizza and beans on toast, this is better news than a Brown Thomas flash sale. In the middle of a crisis Particularly if it’s a domestic crisis. Imagine the washing machine breaks down, there’s a HUGE puddle of water on the floor and you have no idea what to do with it. Every plumber in town appears to have taken a day off and Mam is the only one who can help. This also applies to broken microwaves, cookers and other kitchen appliances. Don’t mind your notions There’s no one on this planet who is better at giving you a sharp dose of reality than your mother. If you’re in any danger of getting “notions” about yourself now you’re an adult (supposedly able to look after yourself) then your Mam can be relied on to bring you right back down to earth. You’re spoilt rotten This phrase is thrown around quite a lot, often by your mother but deep down, they love nothing more than to spoil us. It might be a hot water bottle in your bed when you get home after a night out or buying in your favourite wine when you visit at the weekend. They’re too good to us really… When you’re sick When you’re feeling run-down and weak, Mam is more than likely the first person you call. She knows the best home remedies, the right vitamins to take and will provide some much needed sympathy even if you know you’re being over dramatic. Having the chat Not everyone wants to listen to a blow by blow account of what happened today at work, or why exactly that exam didn’t go to plan. However, even if your Mam is tired and fed-up, chances are she will make the effort to listen to your woes and give some sound advice. Everything will be okay Sometimes you just need someone to tell you that everything will be okay, even if it really doesn’t seem that way at the time. Having a friendly face there with a warm hug and a few words of comfort can make all the difference. Mothers are usually pretty good at reading a "I need a hug" face. How do I do this? This question is a common one. Making a roast dinner, figuring out the iron (crease central), driving lessons… these are just some of the situations when you might need a few words of advice from Mam. Honest opinion An honest opinion is very important and you can generally rely on your Mam to tell you the truth. It might not always be what you want to hear (that skirt is too short or that boy is bad news) but in fairness, she’s just looking out for you.