
Sunday, May 13th is Mother’s Day. Although Mother’s Day only comes once every 365 days, we all know that it’s important to show appreciation and graciousness everyday to the special women in the lives of all children. I’m talking not just about biological moms here. It’s vital that we also recognize the women who share their maternal instincts and acts of love above and beyond role expectations. I’m referring to the big sisters, aunts, second mothers, bonus mothers, nanas, grandmas, neighborhood moms, team moms, etc. Whether you are 8 months old or 80 years old, we all know how special the bond is when someone genuinely loves you and treats you as if you were their own child.
Many moms love to be pampered with gifts, flowers, or candy for Mother’s Day. If that is something you think your mother would enjoy then, by all means, go for it! If actual gifts are not ideal for your mom, might I suggest writing a fill-in-the-blank “Mother’s Day Interview”. This is something you can quickly do with your child and you can easily pull it together from items already found around your home (e.g., crayons, paper, stickers, etc). The process is simple, you can either write out on paper (which is what I would suggest if you have a preschooler who is showing prewriting skills) or you can get techy and interview your child to send in a video card to his/her mother. Make it work for your family and make it personal. When I do this with my kids I just record them and send the video to my mom (their grandma). My mother is not a “card keeper” but I do know that she always has her phone with her and downloads pictures or videos of her grandkids. The purpose behind this gift is more of a sentimental, “warm fuzzy” memorable gift, if you will. Below is a list of questions to have your child respond to and share with mom or any of the special women in your child’s life. Keep in mind that you can add/delete/personalize the questions. One neat idea is to make this interview a tradition every year to see how responses change or stay the same. Be creative!
Meet My Mama (or Grandma, Nana, Bonus Mom, etc.)
I really love it when my mom…
My mom likes to…
My mom’s favorite song is…
My mom always tells me…
My mom is happiest when…
My mom loves to relax by…
I know my mom would love to learn how to…
The best meal my mom makes is…
My mom’s favorite food is…
My mom’s favorite TV show is…
If my mom could go on a trip, she would go to…
What my mom loves most about me is…
What I love most about my mom is…
The Parenting Hub would love to hear about you celebrate the special women in your family. Please send your comments and stories to: parentinghub@earlylearninghub.org
Resources
Mother’s Day Interview Printable