Men are generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children.

What we need is to take a step back and say 'why is it we as a country have a problem with children's nutrition and obesity?' These are things we can all solve rather than suggesting that teachers solve them for us.

The challenge will be for us to resist those pressures and make it clear that the most important thing schools can do is to give children the skills, knowledge, confidence and qualifications to make independent and autonomous decisions for themselves. To be authors of their own life story.

The key thing is to give a child a great start in life [...] The ideal, of course, is to place an adopted child with a family whose circumstances and background match its own, but in the search for that match it is often black and Asian children who suffer. The longer they are in care, the more difficulties occur.

I don't know much about my birth parents but there were significant differences between their backgrounds and those of my adoptive parents. It made no difference to me.

A mother's love is indeed the golden link that binds youth to age; and he is still but a child, however time may have furrowed his cheek, or silvered his brow, who can yet recall, with a softened heart, the fond devotion or the gentle chidings of the best friend that God ever gives us.

A mother's arms are made of tenderness, and children sleep soundly in them.

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.

Some mothers need happy children; others need unhappy ones -- otherwise they cannot prove their maternal virtues.

All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.