Does anyone (particularly females) like their mother?

I am worried.  I have three children:  a 10-year-old daughter, an 8-year-old son and a 2.5-year-old son.  I frequently hear people, particularly girls and women, stating that their mother was cold, insensitive, and generally just not a nice person.  That is SO not the impression I want my children to have of me as they get older.  I am not a perfect mother by any means, but I do try really hard to make them feel important, to tell them when I'm being tough on them that it's because I know they are very smart and capable, and to frequently tell them that I love them and will always love them, no matter what.  I try to be available for them to talk to me if they have anything that has them concerned or worried.  Of course, I don't spend nearly the amount of time with them that they deserve.  I worry that there's something else I could (and should) be doing so that I do not become "Mommie Dearest."

So my questions are:

* How old are you?

* Are you a son or a daughter?

* How would you describe your relationship with your mother?

* Why?

I'm hoping to learn what not to do, as well as what I can do to help nurture my children into people who won't hate me when they become adults.

BTW, I wasn't very close to my mother and was raised more by my sisters than my mother. 

I'm 42 and my mother is 70.  We have never been what you would call "close."  On my wedding day, 21 years ago, I told her I loved her. She did not answer me, just smiled.  I have not said it since and neither has she, but, we both know it is true. She is always there when I need her and I am there when she needs me. We may not say it, but, we show it, and that is more important to me.

On the other side, my husbands mother never leaves without saying "Love you" to him.  However, she does not show it in other ways and their relationship is very strained.  It has become only words to him.

I have six children aged 3 to 19. My two oldest boys, 19 and 16 are not embarrassed to say they love me in front of their friends. I tell them every day that I love them and most importantly, I think I show it as well. My three year old says "I love you Mom, you're my best friend." I love that!

Im 25 F.

Love my mom and everything about her.  I get up early in the morning just to go have coffee with her before I go to work.  We are running partners/ exercise buddies.  I can talk to my mom about anything and everything.

Me: 20/21, Daughter, Some days we're friends, other times I ignore all her calls and texts.

My mother: 53, Down to earth, sweetheart, everyone she meets seems to love her. I have more in common with her than any of my three siblings.

Here is what I've heard, and after paying closer attention, I've come to agree.

It's the negative qualities/habits/characteristics that both you and your mother share that you despise so much you can barely stand being around her.

My mother is a space case. You tell her a shocking story, she has this big reaction to it, can hardly believe what you just said, and then when you tell her the same story a week later (because you already know she's forgotten), you get the same reaction. All you can do is roll your eyes, and pretty soon you don't want to tell her stories because you feel as though she never listens.

She asks me to come visit, come have dinner with her every once in a while. I do. And I sit down she asks me a few questions about how things are going with me, and next thing I know suddenly we're on the topic of Micheal Jackson, and recent news with him. I don't care about Micheal Jackson. I hate celebrity gossip. So I just sit and don't even pretend I'm listening. I get up, move around, pay attention to other things, nod and stare at the wall, the floor, anything. All the while she's going from one subject to the next about pointless things that don't hold my attention for a minute. It's completely ridiculous.

So the funny (and irritating) thing is, while she's off being a space case, I'm getting angry and doing the same thing that she does that always gets to me. And that's just ONE of the negative characteristics that we share in common. Our short term memory, being notoriously late for everything (when we meet somewhere, we set a specific time, say 7pm, then both plan on getting there closer to 7:10 assuming the other is going to be late, and one of us always arrives at 7:15).

Sooo many things about her bother me, and I never realized that I am the SAME EXACT WAy until people started pointing it out. And I can't even begin to describe how much that bugs me that IIII am going to be like her!!!

Sorry for the ramble. That's typically what happens when I get started talking about this topic.