Mother's Day is Sunday and I haven't had a chance to think about what I want do for my mom. Our family home caught fire last week and the past few days have been a blur of trying to help my parents navigate the uncharted territory that comes with losing everything you've built and acquired over the last 40 years. My mom has been amazing through all of this. After a moment of hysteria and disbelief, she pulled herself together for our family and went into "work mode" - calming us down with her show of emotional strength and resolve.
It's only fitting that I find something really special to give her this Mother's Day, so I turned to Shine for help. I found my answer under Charlene's post "Parenting poll: What's your favorite Mother's Day gift?". I love the personal stories from each of our users, but the comments made me realize what my mom would really want and cherish. The answer wasn’t a new sweater or jeans...but my time. So this Mother's Day, I'm making the commitment to spend more time with my mom. Maybe we will end up going shopping for those new jeans. Then again, maybe we’ll spend the time as simply as we did the night after the fire – with her talking and me, her captive audience, listening.
In honor of my mom and all the moms here on Shine, I wanted to share the comments and user posts that inspired me this Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day!
1. Parenting poll: What's your favorite Mother's Day gift?
- Shine user Mimi-pz: “I've always subscribed to the theory that presents are for birthdays and Christmas. All the other "special" days like Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, even Anniversaries no presents are needed. Show me you love and appreciate me by telling me in a card, helping me around the house, making me dinner or breakfast...”
- Shine user Billysmom: “I think my favorite was a card I received from my little boy. His Grandma (my mom) helped pick it out. It was one where he could record a message, and he said "Mommy, I love you more than anything else in this world". It melts my heart every time I hear his little voice saying that.”
- Shine user HC: “My favorite Mother's day gifts are the ones where my daughter gives me a full day of her time to do anything and everything I want, go to a movie, sit and talk over lunch, go for a nature walk, ride our bikes, go shopping, get our pics taken at a photo booth acting goofy, just hangin' out and reconnecting. These are the best gifts of all.”
- Shine user Mariam: “When it was just me and the kids, we used to write silly notes to each other. Sometimes it was a To-Do-List, but usually it would be little love notes to each other. One Mother's Day morning my 2 kids came to my bed and handed me their card and art work from school. Just when I was about to hug them, my daughter handed me a half-decent wrapped box. When I opened the lid, it was filled with all our little "love notes" to each other. We layed on our bellies in my king sized bed, read, laughed and told stories about each of them. So far nothing has topped that Mother's Day present yet!”
2. In her post, "Happy
Mother's Day",
Shine user mRsM manages to beautifully and hilariously list the
"reasons I owe my Mother".
3. Shine user Laurie PK gives "quips to liven up your Mother’s Day card, and the tips to help you find practical, meaningful ways to celebrate the moms in your life" in her post, "10 quips and tips for Mother's Day".
4. Shine user Big T shares a little something his mom wrote in, “User post: Top Five Ways To Make Mom Smile This Mother's Day”.
