Where will your family celebrate Mother’s Day this year? While some areas of the world are slowly opening up, in New Delhi, our options remain quite limited. So instead of fretting and lamenting that we are stuck home for another Sunday, my daughter and I have decided to make the best of it. We are putting together a surprise Mother’s Day 2020 extravaganza at the only place where you can find all the best food, arts and craft supplies, half-used spa-related accoutrements, and free makeup and nail posh —our home!
A few days ago, after my almost six-year-old daughter and I walked our dog, I shared with her that Sunday is Mother’s Day. Before she’s able to unhook the leash from the dog’s collar, she starts rolling through ideas of activities we can do for mom on Sunday. And not once does she complain that we can’t leave the house. Here’s our “bonkey-head” (our made-up word for craziness) Mother’s Day plan. Hopefully, our plan helps spark a few ideas on how to show the mom, or moms, in your life how important and loved they are.
Our Plan to Celebrate Mother’s Day at Home This Year
Brainstorm Ideas with Your Kids
I recently read somewhere that kids will spend around 75% of their time talking about the rules of a game before actually playing the game. This statement confirmed my own observations of nieces, nephews, and now my daughter explaining to me “the rules.” The point is, it’s a lot of fun to think about what mom likes to do, what her favorite foods are, her favorite activities, and somehow reimagining all of these “likes” into a surprise Sunday, Mother’s Day extravaganza event at home. Even if only 25% of the ideas actually take place.
So, take some time to write down or discuss with your kid all the different activities the mom will appreciate. Don’t burden yourself with all of them. The best doable ideas will rise to the top. Remember the most essential point is, and what makes this more special than a reservation for brunch, your activities will undoubtedly include the little things that only you guys know. Those small details that are unique to her and the family show her you put some thought into the day. This isn’t some fancy eggs and mimosa set menu, this menu has been customized with her in mind.
Make it a Surprise
I can’t explain it, but kids love a surprise birthday party, or Mother’s Day extravaganza. They also love keeping secrets. So, the last couple of days there has been a lot of whispering between us. Little comments and inside jokes, that my wife good naturedly asks us about, that send our daughter into full belly giggles.
Make a Card
Again, our daughter is almost six, and she makes cards for nearly any occasion. She usually averages one or two cards a week. This is one of her go-to craft ideas. The great thing about a card is it’s unique to whoever she is making it for. She also requires me to make my own Mother’s Day card too. So, I think I’ll make two, one for my wife and one for my mom in Texas, which I’ll take a picture of and post on Facebook. I’m not sure we will get to it, remember flexibility and 25% is key, but we also talked about creating a work of “art” for mom too. I’m flagging this idea under, “If we run out of things to do.”
Breakfast in Bed
Sometimes it’s not exactly clear if the ideas you come up with during your brainstorm are actually ideas that the mom likes or the kid likes. Let’s be honest, as a kid, the idea of breakfast in bed rocks. As an adult, I’m wondering if we still have the mattress protector that we used during potty training? In addition, the menu for our breakfast in bed, pancakes and bacon, isn’t necessarily mom’s first choice. But I do know this kid who would eat pancakes and bacon every day if she could.
So, I should amend my earlier comment. What also makes celebrating Mother’s Day at home special and unique are those choices that undoubtedly do not reflect the mom’s preferences but her child’s!
When my daughter and I began planning this extravaganza, one idea we agreed upon immediately was that mom needed a massage. My wife loves massages. Those deep tissue kind that make me squirm. Neither my daughter nor I am licensed massage therapists, but we are quite familiar with back scratches and back rubs. Actually, I can do a decent job, so we decided to expand the massage into a full day, really an hour or so, at the spa. Here’s what our plan currently looks like:
- On Saturday morning, while she’s working in her office, we will raid her bathroom for lotion, scrubs, loofas, nail polish, massage oil, and anything else that we can turn into an “experience.”
- Some soothing spa music and the smell of jasmine hanging in the air.
- We are not exactly robe type people, so I’ll do my best to see what we have, and maybe find a pair of left-over spa sandals. I think I saw a pair somewhere.
- Create a menu of spa activities that so far include a bath or shower, a foot soak, a facial with cucumbers (my daughter insists, I need to google that), a back massage and foot rub, then finger and toenail painting for everyone. I’ll get my toes done, why not.
The plan at this point is to finish our spa day with finger sandwiches, lite snacks, cucumber water, and sliced mango (it is in season here and amazing).
Dinner, the Latest Episode of Top Chef, and a Movie
Our dinner menu will consist of salmon and broccoli. Two of my wife’s favorite foods. We will then watch the latest episode of Top Chef that is usually released on Friday, and if I can get our daughter to keep her word, let mom pick our evening movie. Look, I can’t complain, our kid loves Top Chef, so the fact we don’t have to fight over that is awesome.
It is Always Those Little Things
It is always those little things that make spending time together special. Those little things we notice about each other that let us know we are cared for and loved. Those little things that are obviously our daughter’s choice, that become our inside jokes. We don’t need a fancy brunch or a vase full of flowers to have an amazing Mother’s Day extravaganza experience at home. Though an afternoon off and a gift certificate to my wife’s regular massage therapist would be greatly appreciated. Wherever you are in the world, whatever lockdown restrictions you are obeying or disobeying, please be safe and either hug or Skype call all those “mothers” in your life, let them know what they mean to you, and wish them a Happy Mother’s Day.
