Mother’s Day is coming up, and this year is going to be different than any other Mother’s Day before. How can we survive and celebrate Mother’s Day while quarantined? Most of our state is only just beginning to open up again, and Marion County is still shut down for a few more days. In my house, everyone is a little extra grumpy and tired and not on their game, which doesn’t bode well for a holiday FULL of pressure and expectations.
Whether you are a mom at home with a gaggle of small kids or looking for ways to celebrate your own mother when you can’t be together, or even if you’d rather avoid the holiday altogether–we’ve got some ideas for you.
If your mom is quarantined at home with you:
(Indy moms, text this link to your partner or teenagers right now!)
- Just give her some alone time. Go in the backyard and let her have the house to herself (or visa versa), or get the whole family out for an extra-long drive or walk.
- Cover the meals. Don’t make her responsible for cooking or providing a single snack to anyone but herself.
- Plant some of her favorite flowers.
- Tackle one task or chore that you know has been bugging her for a while.
- Above all, just ASK! Ask her what she would like. Does she want a fancy meal, or to go for a drive by herself, or to have breakfast in bed? She might not love Mother’s Day and prefer to do nothing. That’s ok, too! But your job is just to ask her.
If you are socially distancing away from your mom:
- Give your mom a gift card to one of her favorite local places. (Or check out our locally-focused list of Mother’s Day gift ideas.)
- Send a digital Starbucks gift card. You can do it via text and Apple Pay on an iPhone, or you can do it via email from the Starbucks web site.
- Don’t underestimate the value of a handwritten letter. Share three things you’ve appreciated about her in the past year.
- Have flowers delivered.
- Sing her favorite song from her front lawn. (Or let your cute kiddos do it.)
- Schedule a Zoom call for all her kids and grandkids. (Keep expectations low for how the call will actually go–the goal is just to let her see everyone’s faces in one place!)
- Do the thing where you recreate childhood photos and email them to her.
If Mother’s Day is hard for you:
- Stay off social media.
- Treat yourself to carry out from a favorite local place.
- Spend time journaling. Write a gratitude list or a list of things you are looking forward to.
- Connect with someone you love who understands your aversion to the holiday.
- Prioritize real self-care: sleep, sunshine, and movement!
But the best thing for moms to do TODAY:
Tell your family what you want. Mother’s Day is rife with pressure, and for many of us, the expectations are just too high. It’s unfair for any of us to expect anyone to be mind readers or know what we want, especially in a time like this when tensions have been extra high, and everyone is exhausted. An honest conversation about what you want for Mother’s Day will go a long way.
Happy Mother’s Day, Indy moms. You are rockstars, and we’re all in this together.
