Mother’s Day will soon be here and it’s common to see people ordering flowers at the last minute or buying boxes of chocolates and a card. But take a moment and really think about your mother. She may be older now, a senior and while she appreciates all gifts from her children, what would make her day really special?
Take her out for lunch.
While many older children and adults take their mothers out for breakfast or a mother’s day brunch, be a little different and take her out for lunch at a place that’s a little quieter. This way the two of you can spend time together talking without the noise and confusion of the restaurant taking over your conversation. A good way to do this is to pick the day before or the day after Mother’s Day for your lunch. Restaurants tend to be quieter and the service better.
Do something for her.
Does her house need painting or does she need work done outside? If she lives in an apartment are there items that need moving or fixing that her landlord never gets around to doing for her? Spend an afternoon there helping her get things organized that she never mentions but might be bothering her.
Give a useful gift.
Once we reach a certain age we have most of the things we really need so this may be difficult but think a bit – does your mother walk home from the grocery store? How about one of those new grocery carts that don’t look anything like a grocery cart! She’d be proud to have something that looked that nice instead of an old wire or metal cart that makes her feel her years. Does she read? Do crafts? A gift certificate may not sound like a great gift but in all likelihood she would appreciate it more than something she can’t use.
Share memories.
Put together an album of photos of the family or your grandchildren and add to it as each new grandchild or great grandchild is born. This is one of the most personal gifts you can give.
Mothers love your gifts and the fact that you remember Mother’s Day. But what they really want is to be remembered all year round. Acknowledge all that your mother has done for you and make sure she knows she’s in your thoughts no matter what time of year it is.
