If you haven’t already put some thought into making Mother’s Day a special day, then you’d better start thinking fast. It’s next Sunday!!There seems to be a lot of confusion as to what women want on Mothers Day but really it’s quite simple. It’s make a fuss of Mum Day. Unfortunately, it has become so commercialised, that it seems to be more about what to buy rather than what will make the Day special.
In my view, Mothers are very easily pleased. A bit of effort goes a long way. Here are a few simple tips for a great Mother’s Day.
Someone has to take over the organising of Mother’s Day (most appreciated if it is the father of the children who does this). Children need to be reminded and encouraged to make a special effort for Mum. Make it a learning opportunity for them on how to think of someone other than themselves. Flowers, cards and chocolates are always a nice treat. Daffodils are lovely this time of the year and cost very little. Homemade cards are the sweetest and most memorable and will keep the children busy for an hour on a Saturday. Involve the children in the planning – best done a few days before rather than on the morning of Mother’s Day so as not to run the risk of it looking like a last minute effort. Having said that, the rule ‘better late than never’ applies here!
Breakfast in bed is very welcome but not so much fun if you get up to a kitchen that looks as if there was explosion there. The cleanup is more important than the breakfast. Keep it simple. The fact that the effort is being made is enough. I was presented one year with pancakes where the quantity of eggs was mixed up with the quantity of flour, the omelette with chocolate spread was a very interesting combination but it was made with love so it tasted just right.
A promise from the children to smile all day. No arguments, no sulking, no fussiness allowed. Just smile. To be honest, I don’t care if they are pretending to get on with each other, I often have to hold my tongue so it won’t kill them to do it for one day. It’s Mother’s Day!
As it falls on a Sunday, it would be lovely if the task of preparing for Monday morning was undertaken. This involves making sure the school bags are all ready and lined up. Identify what clothes the children for school the next day, uniform, tracksuits or both. Make sure these are washed, dried & ready for the morning. Don’t forget this includes underwear, socks & shoes. If you are visiting the shop for the Sunday Papers, remember to get any items required for school lunches the next day. These are tasks that Mum usually sees after so making sure they are done will really make the day more relaxing.
Sunday Lunch/Dinner. Everyone has their own preference for this. Go out, Stay in. It’s all the one, so long as someone else has made the decision and taken the appropriate action. i.e. either make a reservation or buy whatever food is necessary. Personally, I would prefer to sit down in the evening by the fire with a nice glass of wine and be called when my dinner is ready rather than go to busy restaurant with hungry kids. I couldn’t care less if it is sausages and waffles so long as I don’t have to cook it or clean up afterwards. This is a great opportunity for children to be involved in the setting of the table and any other age appropriate jobs they can do. Keep it simple.
Relax & enjoy 5 minutes peace from your kids at Chuckies. When kids are small, they are up early and often get over excited about special events. Being on their best behaviour all day can be a challenge. Take a family trip to Chuckies and while the kids burn off plenty energy, Mum can relax and enjoy a Complimentary Cuppa & a yummy Cupcake. Just our way of saying ‘Thank You’ to all the hardworking mums who visit Chuckies throughout the year.
And finally mums, remember what the day is really about. It’s a celebration of Mothers everywhere. Take a little time to reflect on the miracle of nature that allows us to create another human being. Not everyone gets the opportunity to become a mother and today forget the hardwork that goes with rearing children and just remember the joyful moments. Look closely at your little wonders and remind yourself that they are the greatest gift of all.
Happy Mother’s Day.
It has always amazed me that Halloween is celebrated with such enthusiasm each year and yet it has very dark origins. Kids love halloween for some reason and the commercialisation of the event gains momentum each year. Personally, I would gladly skip Halloween night. Once my kids have lost the desire to go trick or treating and stuffing themselves with enough e- numbers to send even the most docile child into orbit, I will gladly let that tradition fall by the wayside.
This Friday the kids will finish school for 10 days as they start the first break of the new school year. Even though it seems very soon to be taking a week off, I think that at this time of the year everyone is tired from the effort of getting up early, the pick ups, drop offs, school lunches, homework, extra curriculum activities etc etc. The list is endless. Add to this the changeable weather with hot one day, cold the next and of course this year there is also the dreaded swine flu on top of all the regular coughs and colds. The mid-term break can’t come soon enough as far as I’m concerned. A good rest and a bit of funtime will work its magic on all of us.
A big THANK YOU to everyone who visited Chuckies today. In total, we raised 1,560 euros for the Children’s Unit of the Mercy Hospital. We certainly enjoyed ourselves and Steve the Magician put on a fantastic show for the little ones at our morning party. In the afternoon the 96FM street fleet had everyone up and dancing to the beat. There were smiles everywhere and we hope that everyone had a very memorable World Smile Day at Chuckies.
Caring for children, particularly pre-school children, while rewarding, can also be very isolating and lonely with little opportunity to meet other parents/carers.