It’s almost Mother’s Day and you deserve a break. Yashmitha Padayachee has some inspiration to ensure you get a day of pure pleasure.
Mother’s Day is around the corner, and while most of us profess to not subscribe to commercialised holidays and occasions, we’re all hoping for a little affirmation that our efforts have not gone unnoticed, or at the very least, that maybe we’ll get the chance to get an extra hour of sleep.
Look, it probably won’t rival the plot of Fun Mom Dinner or a musical scene from Mamma Mia, but it’s worth doing something to lift the spirits and acknowledge your absolute awesomeness. Here are a few fun ideas to make this Mother’s Day a memorable one.
A modern tradition
Start an exciting, family tradition. Plan a fun day trip to a local dam or park. Pack a picnic or the bikes – or both – and take advantage of the (hopefully) good weather. If the weather isn’t playing along, inside picnics are just as fun.
TOP TIP: Pick something that is doable for the foreseeable future. Avoid extravagances, simple is best.
Some traditions could include:
- A themed breakfast: pick a new country each year and style your breakfast or lunch around their cuisine.
- Buy a new shrub or tree and make the planting of it an annual ceremony.
- Take a fun class together as a family: this one might have to wait until the kids are slightly older, but there are loads of fun classes to sign up for, from cooking to painting to biscuit decorating and candle making.
Timeout – for Mom, that is
Ask your partner or a family member to watch the kids, even if it’s only for part of the day. Book yourself a treatment at a spa, or plan your own DIY spa treatment at home. Nothing spells out treat like a soak in the tub, or even just watching a movie uninterrupted.
A meeting of mothers
If you’re lucky enough to have a group of mom friends with kids in a similar age group, plan a play date for moms and kids. With the current health concerns, a closed-up public setting might not be ideal, but meeting at someone’s home, or a restaurant with an open outdoor seating and play area could be a solution. A little bit of food and conversation can lift your spirits right up.
Family affair
Celebrate the lineage of strong dedicated moms, grannies, aunts and other females in your family and community that have contributed to your upbringing, and possibly shaped the way you raise your children. It’s important for our children to realise that wherever we are in our lives now, took generations of hard work and commitment. Pop in for a visit to some of these women or invite them along to one of the ideas above.
TOP TIP : Snap (and print or store in an appropriate digital folder) a photograph each year. A fun idea would be to try to recreate the same pose or highlight what special activity you did. This will make for great scrapbooking or a touching walk down memory lane in the years to come.
Don’t despair if everything goes up in flames
Irrespective of whether something is planned or not, if things run smoothly or there is a hiccup or two. Remember, being a mama bear is not about presents or accolades. It is selfless and giving. Use it as an opportunity to celebrate and honour yourself and motherhood. Look at the environment you’ve created, look at your little ones, and feel fulfilled, loved and proud.
