Monday, May 12, 2014

Why Mother's Day Is So Much Work: Confessions of A Baby Boomer Mom

Boomers Unite: Spilling The Beans About Celebrating Mother's Day 

Now that Mother's Day is over, I can share with my readers what they already know.....Mother's Day is a lot of work!  I have talked with many moms with 20 and 30 something aged children and I hear lots of similar stories. First there is the pre-Mother's Day planning. This is the phase when your children are figuring out how to squeeze in a weekend visit with mom and still leave plenty of time   to return to their own apartments to catch up on their chores such as laundry or shopping.  Many "kids" resolve this dilemma by carting their laundry to mom's house. There is something to be said about spending quality time with mom on Mother's Day while folding a month's worth of towels.

Mother's Day Is A Juggling Act

When chores are not the issue, there is often "the juggling act factor" which can get complicated when you are trying to get sibs together for Mother's Day...many of our kids struggle with how to be in three different places at the very same time. Tell me I'm not the only one who is exhausted from trying to get everyone in the same place at the same time?

Visiting Mom For Mother's Day: Time For Negotiations 

Once our kids get the time logistics squared away there are prractical issues like who is paying for what.  This "money" phase generally requires some degree of negotiation. In a nutshell, it comes down to "mom....if you want me to visit...I'll need you to
pay for my bus or train ride".  Smart kids get their parents to pay for both the coming and the going. Smarter parents agree to pay for just one way and that is the return trip (back to their apartments).

Planning Your Mother's Day Weekend Meals: Use A Spread Sheet

Once all the details are ironed out, and everyone is in the comforts of the family home, meals are the next big matter to determine. This require a
lot of attention to what the prevailing diet is for each of your children ( also applies to adult children). If you have three or four or more kids, you may find that by using a spread sheet you   will have better control on the situation. Afterall it is not easy figuring out who is gluten free and vegan; who is lactose intolerant but would accept a soy cheese pizza if they had too, who is Paleo on weekdays but not on the weekend; who is allergic to lobster; who despises mayonaise or spicy mustard or ketchup etc.

With any luck meals are under control and gifts are shared. And that my friends is a topic worthy of another blog post. So readers tell us about your Mother's Day..... was it a lot of work? Come ohn...you are among your baby boomer bloggers...spill the beans.  

Photos taken by C.Dianne Zweig at Antiques on The Famington, Collinsville, CT

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

1 comment:

  1. 2 of my boys - 16 and 32 took me hiking and I didn't cook a thing! After the hike, we went to the store and one boy bought me a huckleberry ice cream cone. We came home and I told them there were left overs in the fridge if they wanted them. They did and heated them up themselves. My adult son unloaded and loaded the dishwasher and then went home. Today we went tree shopping which was my other gift but I couldn't make up my mind! :) It was a fantastic Mother's day!

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