Mother's Day Is Every Day

I've heard more than a few moms express their disgust about the commercialization of Mother's Day. Like Valentine's Day and other useless holidays, they jack up the prices for flowers and chocolates, and hope some poor sucker whose wife works her ass off 364 days out of the year will come running to spend his allotted $100 the day before.

The truth is that moms deserve way more than a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. And they deserve it every day of the year.

I'm not even sure when the flowers and chocolate thing came into play. Clearly it was not a mom who came up with the idea. "That's right. I lost my figure, shoot a kid out my woo-woo, and wipe butts every day. I think moms everywhere would like CHOCOLATES!"

Yeah right.

On the flip side, I don't think moms want diamonds either. Although, if my husband were to shove one at me, you wouldn't see me running back to the shop begging them to take it back.

But what I do want for myself and for other mothers this Mother's Day is empathy. I'm fortunate that when my husband is home he cleans, vacuums, and plays with the kids. And lately he's been a lot better about not complaining about how tired he is even though he's gets to come home to a quiet house with no kids and no dogs almost everyday.

And I know other moms out there whose husbands rock their socks off. They get it.

But some dads just don't. Too bad they don't sell empathy along with those chocolates and flowers. I'm pretty sure it would be a best selling gift for moms everywhere.

How do you want to be recognized this Mother's Day? (Click the link and see how you can participate in our Blast -- Julie and I are donating $25 to the charity of the choice of 10 winners -- so it's for an excellent cause!

Comments

[Amanda]

This is my first Mother's Day without my mom, who passed last September. We weren't really close, and displays of affection were few and far between, but I always tried to do something for her for Mother's Day. This year, I'm (finally) graduating from college, and my Dad and (totally awesome) Stepmother will be there, along with my fiancé. I want to do something nice for my Stepmom, though I think graduation (which is on the 11th) is a pretty good present.

So far I'm not sure if it'll be hard without my mom, since our relationship was so strained, but I do intend to at least think of her and have a little moment for her. I'm not religious, so I don't think she's watching over me, but I know she would proud to see me graduate. She really did do her best.

So, yeah, Mother's Day is kind of a sham, but I generally use it to spend time with my mother. When I have kids of my own, perhaps we'll develop our own tradition.

[A Jill of All Trades]

Eff chocolates!!!

Give me a fancy new purse to sport around with my bebe in tow!!

Since I've toned up my arms carrying my 25 lb. 15 month old around here, there and everywhere, a nice bag would look lovely hanging from my shoulder!

[gwendomama]

i hate mothers day for very personal reasons.
this year i made myself feel better by getting all my best girlfriends a subscription to the East Village Inky - the only thing I ever read in hard copy anymore.
Ayun Halliday is running a mofo day special for all y'all. And she did NOT ask me to say that.

[ArtGirl]

My husband empathizes with me very well and does his share of work with the kids and the home. What I want for Mother's Day is more appreciation from my kids, who have a tendancy to complain about everything.

And I'd get much more pleasure out of a little chocolate than a piece of jewelry that I'd probably never wear anyway.

[Sarah]

My Husband is nearly perfect. He takes my boys for long "guy trips" (motorcycle store, taco bell and Home Depot) pretty often. This allows me a day at home to relax. Because my youngest is handicapped, I don't always get much time out and alone. So, our Mother's Day tradition is that I get to leave for the whole day of uninterupted wandering. It's great! Every other day of the year is for me to spend with my family. Mother's Day is for me.

[JCK]

Can I have empathy and chocolates! I'm just so partial to chocolate. But, absolutely you are right - not enough. I'll have breakfast in bed, then husband takes kids out and I go to get a massage, then a luncheon will girlfriends - drinks in the afternoon and a date night with my husband to a surprise destination.

[Jane]

Hey Bill ~ Thank you

[Zeynep]

I already bought myself a mother's day gift a while ago. That's what we do in our family, we combine birthdays, new years, mothers day etc and buy something we all want (or need). In this case, I desperately needed these really cool pink sunglasses. And hubby can wear them if he wants, too.

The boys have already started making "gifts" for me, and I really believe that is the best part of Mother's day.. I get cards that say "I loue yuo" (not big on spelling, my babies :) with big weird looking hearts and slanted perspectives, but I treasure and keep each and every one of them.

[Kelly]

I looked this up once because I'm weird and like information and have the internets. Mother's Day comes from an old British observance called "Mothering Sunday" which is when people would travel extra far to go to their local church's "Mother church" (aka the big church instead of the little local parish). Children would be given the day away from school (boarding) and upon traveling home would pick roadside flowers for their Moms.

How chocolate, jewelry, or the redirection away from the church and towards actual Mothers came about is anyone's guess.

I don't consciously resent Mother's Day, since I damned well deserve it (and then some, but sometimes you take what you can get), but what I resent is my kids becoming insanely annoying and frustrating and all around nasty in the weeks leading up to Mother's Day. This is the 2nd year they've done it and though they are too young to even know what Mother's Day is, the universe is stacked against me.

[LiteralDan]

I try to periodically throw a little "Mother's Day" every so often throughout the year. The rest of the time, of course, we all try to be nice to her and make her feel appreciated :-)

[Stacey]

My husband totally gets this motherhood gig is a 24/7 hard labor deal & helps out a great deal. He does occasionally drop the ball though. We're going to Great Wolf Lodge for Mother's Day because what every mom wants to spend 2 hours in car, 2 nights in a hotel with 2 kids and to wear a bathing suit showing off her pale flabby self to strangers for 48 hours.

[Bill]

Jane - your comment makes me really sad. Don't let your idiot husband ever make you feel like you aren't doing a lot of work!

[Carrie]

Empathy and Quiet would be my perfect Mother's Day gifts.

And maybe ice cream.

[Jane]

Last weekend my husband actually said to me: when you make the money to buy the diapers, then maybe I'll change them. This Mother's day I'm not expecting much. My sisters and I are taking our Mom out to lunch and shopping.

[Caren Story]

I completely agree. My husband rocks too. We cant afford gifts for mother's day this year, so he's giving me a massage. Done by him, and not a stranger! Yay for massages! I love massages, and he doesn't really like to give them, so I know he loves me :)

[Steph]

My husband rocks, and I have no complaints :) I'm far too practical (and we're far too poor), so if I got flowers and chocolates I would worry about the expense. For Mother's Day I just want to hang out with my family and relax.

[mothergoosemouse]

Maybe I could start renting Kyle out for a day at a time. The revolutionary new Mother's Day gift for the overwhelmed and underappreciated mom!