Time some time to appreciate your mother

Public service announcement: Sunday is Mother’s Day. If you haven’t made brunch reservations by now, you’ve got 48 hours to perfect your waffle-making skills.

Some may groan about the commercialization of special days, but the reality is spending money does not make your mom feel special on Mother’s Day. A phone call if she’s far away or a homemade meal (complete with cleanup) is all that is necessary for moms. We aren’ t fussy and our expectations are not high.

It’s hard for moms to communicate to family members that they would like some acknowledgment on Mother’s Day. Even if it is just one day of the year, we feel guilty and embarrassed about making the smallest of requests to acknowledge our tremendous contribution to the well-being, care and nurturing of our families.

My husband does a pretty good job of this. My first Mother’s Day came about eight weeks after I had my first baby. In addition to being exhausted, I was filled with anxiety about the new shape of my body. My husband, sensitive to my body image stress, on his own initiative, took me shopping to some local stores. He got me to pick out a few new outfits. He held the baby while I tried on clothes and remained engaged and helpful during the process. It was a sweet, thoughtful thing to do.

The joy I hold from the memories of my first Mother’s Day has nothing to do with the amount of money spent, but rather that someone put thought into doing something meaningful for me.

Recognizing Mother’s Day is essential to show your children, particularly your sons, the importance of celebrating women in their lives. I want my son to grow up into a thoughtful and considerate man who respects and honours his wife. My son needs to see his dad do something nice for his wife on Mother’s Day to learn from that example.

The effort doesn’t have to be big. Getting up early, making homemade cards and breakfast is all that is needed. It’s the overall message to children that their mom isn’t just the person who wipes their bums, she is also a real person who should be revered at least one day a year (possibly once more on her birthday, too …)

Teaching children to show kindness and gratitude to those who love and care for them is a critical message necessary for success in life. The lesson to children is that other people in their family need to be celebrated as well. Children cannot just be the receivers of affection and recognition; they need to learn how to appreciate others in their lives, too.

Setting personal examples of being kind to others is one of a parent’s most important duties.

Every year, my kids and I make a birthday cake for their dad, which they lovingly load up with about 50,000 sprinkles, gumballs, candies, etc. Decorating has become so intense in our home that I actually need to draw a line down the middle of the cake so each sibling can decorate their own side. Heaven help the child whose chocolate sprinkles accidentally cross the line into their sibling ’s side of the cake. Screaming and punches to the throat are sure to occur.

However, the delight in their eyes is evident when they present the cake to their dad. They can’t wait to sing Happy Birthday and see him blow out candles. They are proud that they were able to tangibly participate in something that makes their dad feel special.

That same celebration should be brought into each of our homes for Mother’s Day for the mom who is typically responsible for the success and nurturing of the family. And moms shouldn’t be shy about their requests for a little attention — if not for themselves, then to show their children the importance of gratitude and thankfulness.

There’s no need to panic or create anything elaborate. Amazon Prime will have that waffle-maker on your doorstep tomorrow.