Like many holidays Mother’s Day can come with a lot of expectations. As Mothers we’re so used to putting others before ourselves, and if you’re anything like me, on that one special Sunday of every year you want your kids to recognize that. You want them to shower you with love. You want a thoughtful, cheesy Hallmark card. And, even though you say you don’t need them, you really, really hope that flowers show up on your doorstep.
All of this for validation. To know that those motherly blood, sweat, and tears have all been worth it.
For years when I thought of Mother’s Day I wanted it to be about me. After all I am the Mother?! While I didn’t know it at the time, when I marched into the holiday with this perspective, I was not setting myself up for success. When the kids fought, I would fixate on it. When no one came to the table with a gift, I would feel disappointed. And, when someone forgot about my day, well, I can’t even talk about. You see, anytime things went “wrong” on Mother’s Day, I saw them as a reflection of myself.
Exhausting.
Last Mother’s Day, I shifted my strategy. Instead of focusing on me, I decided to focus more on my role, as a mother. I didn’t worry about getting gifts. I didn’t care about waking up to find brunch on the table. All I cared about was having a fun day with my kids. And, so …
I asked my lovely children what they wanted to do for Mother’s Day.
Without much hesitation it was decided. We would spend our afternoon at the arcade, go to the Melting Pot for dinner, and then close out our evening with a few squeals at Kings Island. It was shaping up to be the most eventful Mother’s Day in history. And, I was all in.
We dressed casually, we didn’t set any specific timelines, and we just played together, as a family. My kids were 100% in their element, and it didn’t take me long to realize that I was too. After all I raised these fun loving, compassionately competitive, and adventurous human beings. Seeing their smiles and hearing their laughs throughout the day … that was the true reflection of who I am. That was what motherhood is all about.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there! If you don’t already have plans I highly recommend trying something new this year. For our family, I think the days of pressed khakis and fancy brunch plans are long gone. Maybe this year we’ll order a pizza {wink}. I’ll have to ask the kids what’s on the agenda.