Time to Change Mother's Day

Mother's Day, one of two days, including her birthday hopefully, where you go out of your way to show your mom you love her. Maybe she gets breakfast in bed. She may get a flower of some kind and a great card. She probably hears, "I love you," more this day. This is all good, but it's not good enough.

I've been doing something for about 10 years that I have shared with very few people for two main reasons: 1) Some dudes feel I'm trying to show them up, 2) believe it or not, I do prefer to keep some things private. However, I've decided to share it now for two reasons: 1) This isn't about other dudes, 2) I really am just trying to help wives out here a little bit.

Alright, what am I talking about? As the title suggests I think there needs to be a change in how we celebrate Mother's Day. I've felt that for a long time, and made changes in regards to how it's celebrated for my wife...still working on doing it right for my own mother. About 12 years ago we started celebrating Mother's Weekend...so my wife got two days, Saturday AND Sunday. I was pretty pleased with that for a couple years, as was Kimie, but then I felt like more could and should be done. Now we celebrate Mother's Week. My wife gets to choose each year whether that weeks starts the Monday before Mother's Day and ends on Mother's Day, or if Mother's Day is the beginning of the week long celebration. This year she's chosen the latter.

During Mother's Week my wife is not allowed to cook, clean, grocery shop or do any other mundane task that typically only gets done if she does it. And no, I don't do it all. I used to which has given me a great appreciation for moms, but I coordinate this with my kids. That's one of the biggest points and takeaways from this whole week. We all take a different day doing the cooking; we all clean; we all do mundane things (honestly it really ought to be this way all year...probably is in some homes). But also, mom is to get back rubs, foot rubs, shoulder rubs, temple massages at any minute of any day during her week.

There is absolutely NO whining, fighting, arguing or anything of that nature allowed during the week that might disrupt mom's peace. Of course there are Mother's Day cards/gifts when Saturday and Sunday roll around, and mom always feels special on Mother's Day. The point is this feeling needs to be stretched out for her for as long as possible. By stretching it out like this many of the good things last much more than a week, we almost create some decent new habits. But after time they do fade some...

What I've learned is that Mother's Day is awesome. There needs to be that day where people stop and really reflect on their mom. Days like this, as well as Father's Day and Valentines Day can be a bit of a two-edged sword; we need those days so we can be reminded that great things need to be done for great people; however, great things should be done far more often than on these days alone. Be that as it may, there is one day set apart for all moms, so embrace it and seize it BIG-TIME for your mom, and for your kids' mom. Extend it to a week, as stated above it helps create better, more loving habits from everyone in the house toward mom. Train your kids to pamper their mom.

To conclude, consider the following scripture that gets to the point, and makes it all very clear, much better than I do: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it." Ephesians 5:25

The End

SNAPP