Mother's Day 101

We all want Mother's Day to be a big success, right? There is nothing worse than a Mom on Mother's Day with hurt feelings. Who's kidding who, the whole family pays the price for that!
I'm not talking to the husbands/partners of new Moms, that's a no brainer. Then the first few years the kids are in school, the teachers pretty much take care of the gift from the kids and the little ones love figuring out how to get breakfast into the bedroom. No worries there. It's when the kids graduate into the teen/tweendom that things can go horribly wrong.

I've put together some insider tricks and tips to ensure that everyone has a great Mother's Day! It's not hard but there are a few key points, that if ignored, there is really no turning back from. Think of it this way, the better the day goes, the better the evening will go, wink, wink!


1. Dad, you are responsible for Mother's Day!
I think the most important thing to remember about Mother's Day is that DAD is responsible for Mother's Day, not the kids, not yet! I know she's not your mother, doesn't matter, move on from that. Whether the day is a success or a failure is on your shoulders, please refer back to how much more fun your "evening" will be...

2. Plan ahead
We put a lot of time and energy into making sure that you people are feed and clothed, that you get where you need to go and are taken care of when you are sick. Plan to have a quick meeting with the kids and brain storm on something that Mom would really appreciate. Some quiet reading time that day? A walk with the whole family? Brunch/dinner out? and make sure it happens, preferably with no whining or crying, from you or the kids!

3. Start the day off well
Breakfast in bed is really a part of the whole Mother's Day experience. I'm happy with a coffee, but nothing says "I love you" like something sweet & flaky. There is a little pre-planning involved here, but it is Mother's Day for goodness sake!

3. Words never to be heard on Mother's Day
a) If things start to go wrong, and they could, whatever you do, you can't pull out the "You're not my Mother" card. Don't do it, that never ends well, never.
b) Please instruct the kids that "How come there's no kids day?" is a question for tomorrow or yesterday, not today.

4. The Other Mother's (just for the Super Stars)
What about your Mom and her Mom? It's key that this is done before the actual day, preferably at least one week in advance. Ask her what she thinks you guys should do to celebrate Mother's Day for your Mom and hers. It shows what a great guy you are AND that you've already started thinking about it.

All the best to you and yours on this Mother's Day!