Preparing for Mother's Day

For me, Mother’s Day has always created a bit of a tug. Do I spend it focused on my mother and/or mother-in-law or do we take the time as a family to celebrate the day with just us? Is it more important that my kids honor their mother or that they see us honoring our mothers? Should Mother’s Day mean a day where I get to call the shots or should I expect my family to plan lunch, activities, etc.?

Funny how a day meant to focus on us as “Mom” can become a day where we feel let down or experience our own internal conflict with what really matters.

To all of the moms out there, I would like to share a few nuggets of wisdom from some of my life experiences as well as mentors who have invested in my life over the years. 

• • Don’t sweat it if Dad forgets to help the kids plan ahead. Just enjoy the hugs, kisses, breakfast in bed or whatever last minute things they do to show their love.

• • Take a moment on Mother’s Day to share with your kids what you love about being their mom.

• • If you live close enough to your mom or mother-in-law, include them in some part of your day. Whether you do an early breakfast, lunch, or, just stop by in the evening. By taking time to honor them, it will help make their day special also.

I remember the first Mother’s Day after my Grandmother passed away. Without her own mom to honor and with all of her kids out of the house, it was a tough year for my mom. The fact that we were able to gather for a family picnic really made her day. And now that my Mom is gone, I truly wish we had made that a tradition every year.

• If getting together with your mom or mother-in-law is not possible, be sure to send a card and give them a call. It is a gesture that will mean more than you possibly know.

One year, I sent my mother-in-law a card thanking her for my husband as well as for all that she did to help him become the man he is. That card is still something she truly treasures today.

• Ask your own mom to share a piece of wisdom on Mother’s Day that will impact you as a wife or mother. I was always amazed at how my mom could come up with wisdom that applied to me according to the state of motherhood I was in at the time. Oh, how I wish she could have continued to offer advice through my girls’ teen years.

One of the most important pieces of advice my mom gave me was a fairly simple concept, but not always easy to implement. She advised that as long as I was focused on what I believed my husband was doing wrong, our relationship would always be a struggle. I needed instead to focus on what I could do to make things better.

Regardless of how you spend the day this year, I hope that this Mother’s Day is a day where you feel honored and special and that you have the opportunity to make your mom’s day the same as well!