I have been a mom for 8 years. I have had a mom for 37 years. And still I’m not sure what constitutes a really great Mother’s Day.
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When I was a kid my dad would take us to find a gift for Mom. Often it would be the next instalment in the For Better Or For Worse comic series. I loved getting her those books and I would often try to read them before Mom even got her hands on them. She loved them too – I think she has the entire collection now.
I don’t have a “thing” that I love or collect. I’m old enough now to know that I really don’t want a bunch of kitschy knick-knack things to collect dust in my home. And I love my kids to death, but I don’t love the unending art that comes home from school and after-school care, and wherever else there are paper and crayons. Yes, the hand prints in clay or cement are lovely. I have some on my wall. But how many handprint cards can one mom collect over the years?
Here are some things I would really like for Mother’s Day.
- A day to do literally nothing. No laundry, no dishes, no parenting, nothing. Even no blogging, although that’s hard for me. Blogging is what I love to do when I’m home alone!
- Something indulgent. New, fancy bubble bath, some delicious carb-full treats, a lovely bottle of wine, or a new book from an author I love.
- Plants for my gardens. Some pretty annuals I can use to fill up my front flower gardens. But let me plant them – I love getting in the dirt and creating something beautiful!
- A maid. Okay, not really – we have way too much clutter and “stuff” for a maid to be plausible. But someone else to do all the dishes and the sweeping and the tidying up that I do routinely in a day.
- A meal out with the family that actually goes smoothly. No crying that “I don’t want anything!” or “I’m too tired!” I’d love to just order what I want without worry about anyone else. I love spending time with my family, but eating out really tries my patience.
I’m sure there are a lot of other things I would love to get, or do, for Mother’s Day. Kids crafts and hand-made cards make me cry every time. I love love love getting the beautiful gifts my kids make. And I’m not ashamed to say I don’t keep them all. They go on display for a month or so, and then (unless they are super spectacular) they go into the recycling. Such is the circle of mom life.
What are you hoping to get for Mother’s Day this year? Do you keep all your kiddos hand-made gifts and cards? And what about your mom – I need some great ideas for my own mom! Share any thoughts with me in the comments.
Jess
21 Comments
When my children were little, I would have given anything for a day to myself to do nothing. Now that my children are older, I would give anything to spend the day with them. A few years ago my son Adam who normally is with me, was visiting his Dad during Mother’s Day, and I was lost. My other sons for some reason or other weren’t around either. So, becareful what you wish for, you just might get it 🙂
You raise a good point Darlene! It’s not even that I’d really love to be all alone – I’d mainly just love to not have to do regular day-to-day chores (including getting up with the kids and getting their breakfast) for one day. Thanks for reading!
~Jess
your a very good mom, and I have the utmost respect for you lady. I was a stay at home mom, so my hats off to you for working and raising your girls. You know how I admire you, can’t say I would have done as well as you. Enjoy your day however you spend it, its well deserved!!
My husband keeps all of our daughters hand made gifts, drawings, well just about anything she makes.. I take a picture, it only takes up space on my phone..
I would love to keep everything, but my house is small and I just don’t have the space! Taking a picture is a great idea. Thanks for sharing.
~Jess
I like the idea to myself. I have a friend that says her perfect vacation would be the one where she gets to stay home with nobody else there 🙂
I do enjoy the times at home alone. Or even at home when the kids are sleeping and my hubby is working. There’s something to be said for quiet time…
~Jess
Happy Mother’s Day to you.
Thank you!
~Jess
Hi Jess,I do like your honesty! I have a folder of paintings and pictures the children created at school, but that’s it. My parents were horrified to learn that I had ditched a very sad attempt the children had at making a Nativity scene out of clay, I did keep it for a few years, but it really did look like nothing. They also created one for my parents, who still put it out on their mantle piece every Christmas, much to my amusement.
We don’t really celebrate Mothers Day, it doesn’t worry me, although a promise of a day doing nothing could sway me! On the other hand, my Mum loves Mothers Day and loves nothing better than a little knickknack or a pretty dust collector. Bless her cotton little socks!
Thank you for linking up with the #MMBC.
XX
Thanks Deb! My parents are like yours – but they always had storage space to keep things. In fact my mom is pulling out my old crafts to show my kids! I suspect she’s recycling them after she does that though. I mean it’s so great to have some fun memories resurface, but when space is at a premium you have to make those choices!
I hope you enjoy your low-key Mother’s Day.
~Jess
Peachy is 17 months old and has no concept of mother’s day. My mom just moved into a new house with a big yard. I’m thinking of putting together a little gardening kit for her. #Alittlebitofeverything
I bet your mom with love that! I know I would. Thanks for sharing your idea with me!
~Jess
My mom likes gift cards to things she normally skips- like pampering herself at a great salon. #EatSleepBlogRT
Gift cards are a great idea – my mom isn’t one to go for any sort of pampering though. I still need to think on it a bit…
~Jess
Your list is perfect. I have a similar post in the works and I couldn’t have put it better. #eatsleepblogRT
Thank you! I try to just write from the heart, and sometimes that works for me! 🙂
~Jess
I agree with these, especially the do nothing day or the peaceful meal out! It’s great to hear you don’t feel guilty about throwing out artwork. I keep some bits but the random scribbles definitely get recycled. I do feel a little sad but there’s just nowhere to put it all! Thanks for linking to #EatSleepBlogRT. Hope you join again next week.
Happy to join! Thanks for the comment – and sharing that you recycle some “artwork” too! 😉
~Jess
I want a mad too! And many other things from your list or simply some rest 🙂 #EatSleepBlogRT
Rest is always on my list of things I’d love. Ideally if my husband would get up with the kids that would be enough for me! But I’m not his mother, so I’m not holding my breath…
~Jess