Moms are invaluable. They are the women in our lives who inspire, uphold, support, and motivate. They comfort, encourage, and lead us.
While we know it intuitively, studies continue to affirm our understanding that moms play a significant role in their children’s development.
For instance, studies have shown that the sound of a mother’s voice helps babies develop a significantly larger auditory cortex; that having a mom nearby positively affects activity in teenagers’ brains; and that children whose mothers talk about math at home learn math earlier than others.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Moms also help shape our worldview - they are a key part of developing the lens through which we see and perceive the world.
For instance, in one longitudinal, laboratory-based study, 62 young-adult daughters were invited to tell a story about a difficult thing that happened to them.
The daughters wrote their stories and then answered questions about how they felt. Two days later, they brought their moms into the lab and had a 15 minute conversation about that same story. Later, the daughters were asked to write about the story again - answering the same questions about their feelings.
Lastly, researchers compared the first and last stories. The stories were overwhelmingly more positive after the women talked with their moms, even if their mothers didn’t have actual solutions to their problems, or advice.
In short, having a mom around has a big impact on your life.
And that’s what Mother’s Day is really all about - acknowledging the major role a mother plays in all of our lives.
So, whether you’re a mom or a dad, Mother’s Day is a beautiful opportunity to honor the role moms play, and to help children celebrate that too.
5 Ways to Approach Mother’s Day This Year
Let’s take a look at a few great ways to approach Mother’s Day - co-parenting style.
Look Forward
One of the best parts of Mother’s Day is looking forward to the day. If you’re a mom, give yourself this opportunity to think about what being a mom means to you - reflect on the past, and make goals for the future.
Write in a journal, keep a scrapbook, and honor the role you play in your children’s life. Being a mom is rarely easy, but it is definitely rewarding. Take some time to reflect on how motherhood is shaping your life, and how you are shaping your children’s lives.
New Traditions
If this is your first year as a co-parent, your mother’s day may look different than in the past. That means that - rather than trying to recreate the the way you’ve celebrated in previous years - this is a beautiful opportunity to create new traditions.
Consider cooking an exciting meal you’ve never tried before or going for a hike in a whole new area. Maybe you end the night by watching movies with inspiring mom characters; or you help the kids make a Mother’s Day cake. Whatever you decide, take this chance to build a new and inspiring tradition for your new family unit.
Show Support
If you’re a dad, Mother’s Day is a great chance to show support for your co-parent. Help your children choose gifts for their mother, assist them in writing and drawing cards, and make sure they know the big day is approaching.
It’s healthy for your children to see you honoring the role their mom plays, and gives them permission to love their mother as fearlessly as you want them to love you.
Plan Ahead
If possible, plan your co-parenting schedule far enough in advance so that the kids can be with mom on Mother’s Day - even if that means gently adjusting your regular co-parenting routine.
If you’re a mom, and it’s not possible to be with the kids on Mother’s Day, plan an alternate date to observe the holiday. Try not to let it get swept away - because acknowledging this day and building new and inspiring traditions around it is a chance to grow your sense of happiness, and an important milestone for your family.
Celebrate
When you’re a co-parent, the values you’re celebrating on Mother’s Day don’t change. In fact, sometimes Mother’s Day can hold even more significance for you as you navigate new roles.
Whatever you decide to do for Mother’s Day, give yourself permission to celebrate. Mother’s Day is a chance to acknowledge the work that moms do, to support co-parents, to build new traditions, and to move families forward into the future.
Embrace This as an Opportunity
“Every type of mom appreciates the recognition for all their love and effort towards their child’s well-being,” says an article in the Huffington Post.
Approach mother’s day as a golden opportunity to carve out and better define your new road ahead. Use it to have fun, to spend time together, and to do something unexpected and unique.
Remember, this day is a celebration - of everything that moms stand for, the work they do, and the ways they make the world a more beautiful place.
