For many moms, they say what they think is the right thing to say:
"Anything you make would be lovely!"
"I'd love a nice breakfast!"
"How about we pick some flowers from the yard?"
I think these are all lovely things to ask for..... If you actually wanted them 😆
Let's be honest, after 2020, I think the one thing most moms want is simply this, peace and quiet.
No "mom, mom" every 2 mins, no knock on the bathroom door while we are physically IN the shower (or worse), no more "how do I?" Or "can you help me______?"
I think what most moms (myself included) want is some version of this: sleep in, get up when we are ready, drink coffee in total silence, go for a walk/read a book/sleep some more, and at some point there's dinner. No adulting, no responsibilities.
My Mother's Day gift to myself (every year) is that I just TAKE THE DAY OFF. On Mother's Day I'm responsible for NO ONE in the house. I do what I feel like and don't have to feed, clean, or take care of anyone. Honestly, it is the best.
But, Merry, you might ask, "how do you get the kids to be quiet?" You can 1. Ask your partner/parent/friend to take your kids out of the house, or 2. Hire a babysitter. I'm doing both.
Sure, it's a negotiation. Possibly your partner may ask for the same treatment for Father's Day (or another holiday), in which case, you can decide whether that's a worthy trade-off for you.
In my case, I told my husband what I wanted, I also hired a sitter for part of the day so he's not "on the hook" for the whole day. And then, I let go. I don't ask for anything, so no presents, no flowers, no hand-written note (if it happens it's a bonus, but I don't expect it). I don't try to parent the children if I'm around. Mostly I make myself sparse and hubby knows to keep the kids away from me. I also don't cook any meals, and don't ask about it. The children will get fed somehow, and it's not my concern.
And yes, I pay for it the next day. The Monday after there's still laundry to be done, meals to cook, and children to care for. And that's okay. That's my life.
So, this Mother's Day, I encourage you to ask for what you REALLY want. If it's breakfast in bed, or if it's a nice picnic at the park, or a fancy brunch, whatever you want, ASK.
Or, if you are like me and want 2 hours of peace, ask for that too.
Here's my plan for Mother's Day:
- get up (whenever), eat breakfast (that's not cooked by me)
- family walk at a garden (which I planned, but I wanted to visit this place)
- brunch at a place with good food (I made the reservation, because I care about good food)
- a nice, long, nap
- sushi dinner with one of my besties (no husband, no kids)
And that's my day! What's your Mother's Day wish? Share it in the comments below, of better yet, ASK for it and it might come true!
Need some help making plans? Let Be Merry help you! We know all the good places to visit and eat!
These two goofballs made me the mother that I am. They also taught me more about love and patience than I ever imagined possible.
Love them, but doesn't mean I want to spend Mother's Day with them! ;-)
Leo wrote me a card yesterday, in Chinese!
with my favorite guys on a hike
Mother's Day 2020 - we went on a hike at Monte Bello Open Space Preserve