Hey all you beautiful mothers out there, your day is coming up. Wait … what? It is just another day? No, no, no in this post we will talk about how to enjoy Mother’s Day. I will share with you the secrets of creating a fantastic Mother’s Day for yourself and the women that you think of as mothers.
Here is the back story. I still remember my very first Mother’s Day. Yep, even though that child is now a man. I was looking forward to celebrating this new role that I found myself in. I was wondering what my husband was going to do for me and how he was going to mark this monumental event in my life. Well, just like every other day, I was up most of the night with an infant, then having little to no sleep, I got up, fixed breakfast, and fed the baby, then on to normal chores and when it came time for dinner, he said he was not feeling good so I would have to figure something out. Fortunately, my in-laws came to the rescue and invited me out to a restaurant with them. My husband stayed home.
Fast forward a few years later when my children were old enough to somewhat take care of themselves, I decided to change things up. There are two days in the year when I do exactly what I want to do. On these two days I do not cook, do laundry, or clean anything. I also stay in bed or get up early depending on my mood. I eat what I want, go where I want, and do what I want. You can probably guess that these two days are Mother’s Day and my birthday. More about how to celebrate birthdays in a future post.
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Mother’s Day Facts
According to History.com, Mother’s Day was first observed in 1908 when Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother who had passed away in 1905. She devised the idea of Mother’s Day to honor the sacrifices mothers made for their children. It did not become an official U.S. holiday until 1914.
Another fun fact about Mother’s Day is more phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year.
No Acknowledgment of Mother’s Day from Family or Children
You might be reading this thinking “My Children never acknowledge me anytime, let alone on Mother’s Day. Well, they just might not be aware.
I remember back when I was in junior high or high school, and my mom and I were squabbling about some chore that I did not do. You know typical teenage stuff between mother and daughter. Suddenly, my mom blurts out “and you didn’t even get me a card for Mother’s Day!” Wow, I felt like I had been hit over the head with a brick. Was that even a thing? I was supposed to get my mom a card and/or a present for Mother’s Day? No one had clued me in as to what Mother’s Day protocol should be. I simply did not realize that that was what we offspring were supposed to do. I am not sure if from that day forward I have been perfect at the Mother’s Day acknowledgments but, I do cherish and love my mom so much. She sacrificed everything for us and the older I get the more I appreciate her.
As a result of remembering this incident with my mom many years ago, when my children were old enough to realize what Mother’s Day was and why they should acknowledge it, I clued them in as to why we celebrate certain holidays and what is expected. Now I know what some of you are thinking. Wow, it must be all about me. Nope, that is not it. I do not require any sort of acknowledgment or gift, but I do treat myself. More on that later. Since I have all sons, when it came time for them to marry and have children, I wanted them to be able to cherish and treat their wives and the mothers of their children with acknowledgment for the demanding work that motherhood is. I also wanted them to be able to recognize their mothers-in-law for all the sacrifices that they have made. For the record, my boys do try every year to make sure I know that they love me. For that reason, it is one of my most favorite days.
So, if your children never celebrate the wonderful mother that you are, perhaps you should sit them down and have a nice chat about what Mother’s Day is and why we celebrate it.
No matter if this is your first or how many Mother’s Days you have celebrated in the past, this one is sure to be one of the best yet. To make it truly special, try some of the following tips and tricks:
How to Ensure that you Enjoy this Mother’s Day
Here is a list of what to do:
- Make sure everyone knows that this special day is coming up.
- Tell them before hand what you will and will not do. I do this so that they know that if anything really important needs to be done (like their favorite shirt needs laundered, or they need help with a school project, they can begin to plan ahead of time).
- Have the refrigerator stocked ahead of time, so no one goes hungry. (This would all backfire if your family turned into animals because there was no food in the house.)
- Make a list of the things that you would like to do.
- If you need supplies for any project, make sure you have those on hand (unless going shopping is on your list).
- Enjoy your day spending it exactly how you want to spend it.
If you are a single mom and your kids are old enough to pour themselves a bowl of cereal, then let them know that they can have their favorite cereal and play all day with their favorite toy or video game. It probably will not hurt them for just this one day and they will most likely look forward to it next year.
If you have infants or small children, ask your significant other to help you or incorporate them into your perfect day plans.
How You Can Make Mother’s Day Special for Your Mom
There are many things that you can do. In the article 41 Thoughtful and Fun Ideas for What to Do on Mother’s Day found on countryliving.com here are a few of their suggestions:
- Cook together as a family.
- Plan an impulsive getaway.
- Make a wreath
- Help mom with a chore or task.
- Have a deep conversation.
- Make mom a playlist.
- Watch your mom’s favorite movie together.
- Look at family photos.
- Start a new hobby with your mom.
- Rent your moms dream car and go for a drive.
- Go on a picnic.
- Give your mom a manicure.
If your mom is a reader, buy or check out a new book for her. (Here are some of my favorites.)
Places to Go on Mother’s Day
Here are some places to go to make your Mother’s Day extra special:
Escape Rooms – If you or your mom loves logic, puzzles, or figuring stuff out this is the perfect place to go.
Or here are a few more ideas from cozymeal.com
- Food Tour
- Dinner Cruise
- Yoga
- Botanical Garden
- Bike Ride
- Sporting Event
- Thrift Shopping
Whether you choose to pamper yourself with a day of luxury, your favorite meal, or spending quality time together with your family, there are countless ways to make this Mother’s Day truly special.
When it comes to your mom, whether you want to give her a heartfelt gift that shows just how much you care, do something extra to go above and beyond, or simply express your gratitude for all the love and support she has given you throughout the years, your mother is sure to appreciate the thoughtful gestures or gifts that you bestow on her.
So, I hope that you will implement some of these tips to make this Mother’s Day extra special. Whether you take some time for yourself or show your appreciation for all that your mom does with a thoughtful gesture or a heartfelt gift, make it a great day – after all, you both deserve it!
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