“mother’s day” (and any other semi-special day that is supposed to be a big deal)

Shannon - I love this! (Just found you via Marta Writes) I really like the idea of teaching our children how to take care of a mom on Mother’s Day rather than expecting them just to know. It seems so obvious now that you’ve said it!

Lori - I totally agree with you. You do need to teach your chidren to be thoughtful. This was the first year that I insisted that my husband make Mother’s Day special. I wanted the kids to make me cards and yes the cheesy breakfast in bed. It was nice that they recognized me. You’re right we have to teach them these things. Great post:)

Mrs. - I just want to share one thing we do with our kids.
When we eat out…we offer a choice of soda or…$1. The kids love it. They cash in (usually). The times they choose soda, we tell them they have to choose between soda and dessert (too much sugar).
I don’t judge, I’m just throwing it out there for you.

Liz Herron - I read your blog often and totally enjoy it. This Mother’s day was my first. We spent it at my in-laws and celebrating my husband’s grandparent’s 60th wedding anniversary. We got flowers and a card for my mother-in-law. Half way through the day my husband folded up a piece of computer paper and “made” me a card. Oh well. I have been telling myself to not expect much in the way of gifts or surprises. I just find it hard to not get a little excited and anticipate that my family will treat me extra special one day out of the year. At the end of the day I know that I am well loved, so I suppose that makes up for it.

leslie - i feel like i can soooooo relate. i’m 30 and this july i’ll be 31. after my 27th bday party it was hard not to expect another awesome bash but i moved from nashville to florida and now i’m down to 2 real friends. they’re a married couple with kids…
anyway, my one girlfriend and i both turned 30 last year only she had an awesome party in may….i thought, it’s the big 30 and maybe they’ll think of planning something like that for me even though i don’t really have friends…not very many single people here…
i was alone on my bday. i tried to act like i was having the time of my life alone…i even went to the beach and just enjoyed a day off of work. it was nice but i sooo missed having friends and relatives…loudness.
later that evening my married friends bought me dinner at olive garden. how thoughtful. i’m so selfish i guess. i mean here i was doing my best to fool my friend for her surprise bash…and i get a rushed dinner…bahhh…
sorry i just had to vent. it’s almost july again and i don’t want to expect anything and that sucks.
i think you’re a great mom. i hope if i do ever get the chance to be one, i wanna be one like you. i love your creativity and freedom to learn…
plus you have cute kids.

Talia - I love that you kept your post about Mother’s Day so real. I spent my day with two stepchildren who totally ignored me. While I understand I am not their birth mother, I do cook, clean, shuttle them to/fro and attend all their events.
It made me grateful to my own children who presented me with a card w/comments that made me cry. (they are in college)

adrienne - my hubby began cooking the bacon for my “breakfast in bed”, then fell asleep on the couch while it was cooking… guess who finished it aND cleaned it up!!

Karen Gerstenberger - Thank you for posting this. Yes, I do love you for your honesty – and your humor and creativity, too.
I had some of the same thoughts and feelings on Mother’s Day, just so you know you’re not alone. I did something really radical (for me): after we had my parents and Gregg’s parents and my brother and sister-in-law over for brunch (which Gregg helped me make, serve and clean up – and David helped a bit, too), I went to Seattle with friends to hear the James Taylor/Carole King Troubador Reunion concert. A friend invited me, Gregg didn’t want to go, so even though it was Mother’s Day, I jumped at the opportunity. Gregg & David went golfing, so they were happy, too. It was really different, but it worked.

Charity - Thank you so much for this post! I even read it to my hubby, who said, “See, we’re not the only ones!”. :o)

Tonia Hobbs - I just sent my girlfriend a text telling her to read this blog post! You are dead-on sister! We were wondering if we were the only ones suffering with Mothers Day Pains!

Toni :O) - Okay, I’ll just say how sorry I am for you..what a stinker..here’s to better ones in the future. I count my lucky stars…my hubby is great and my kids were only a *little* whiny and annoying but for the most part, it was a great day!

Gina Boswell - Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Mary Beth - If I don’t do it, it doesn’t get done.
And it isn’t fun to be that person.
All The Time.

julie - I had that Mother’s Day about 6 years ago – but it was mostly my husband’s thoughtlessness. I was heart broken. I waited a week to “cool” then had a “talk” with my husband. I explained that maybe his father didn’t do these things and I wasn’t clear in my expectations – but here is how it works. I expect a gift. Nothing extravagant – but a gift. I explained why mother’s day would be important to me – you know, being a mom and all. And then I explained this also applies to birthdays and anniversaries. (I totally gave a pass for Valentines Day – not important to me) I have never brought it up again and he has been on it ever since. Make sure your family know how you feel. Sometimes these things have to taught – even though we think they should just be known. (case in point – my husband!)

nicole - oh and just saw that you have charity water on your sidebar! I love you already. 🙂 I’m not following.

Sophie - you ARE funny!

Michelle - I’m not a Mom yet, but I love your blog and I loved this post! SO relieved that you didn’t call any of the kids out by name … Some day, they’ll figure it out and the GUILT for this (and other things) will kick in. Sigh.
Though you say you’re not big on reading, I’m sure you’re an Anne Lamott fan — or will become one, especially once you read this:
http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2010/05/08/hate_mothers_day_anne_lamott/index.html?source=newsletter
Good stuff! I agree with so many of the commenters here – next year, celebrate with some fellow Moms 😉

Beth - My argument is that the DAD is supposed to teach them how to treat the MOM on Mother’s day. I teach them how to treat dad on Father’s day, how to treat each other on birthdays, etc. etc. so Mother’s day is his job. You’re so right though, that when it upsets me the most, it’s usually something that they should have learned from me and I didn’t do a good job of teaching/communicating. Sigh. We do our best though, and although we should always aim high, sometimes our best is enough.

Liz - Um, let’s talk about your top/dress/whatever {Ca-ute!}, and your gorgeous hair . . . oh wait, that’s not what this post was about. Sorry.
So, I do the same thing. I try so hard {so very hard} not to expect too much. Then I’m not disappointed, right? *But* I wind up expecting too much every.single.time. Yesterday definitely had some good points {sunshine, yay! And my sweet girls who were so thoughtful to me}, but it was also full of sickies, bickering, and a little bit of being made to feel like “why do we have to celebrate all of these silly holidays?!”
Anyway, all that to say . . . I get ya.

kelly - It is one of those days that we want to be special, but since we are the only ones in the family that are mothers, well, no one else really gets it.
I’m sure you are teaching them well, I think that you can’t appreciate Mother’s Day until you become one, That is why most men don’t get it either. There, I said it.
But even so, we know they love us!

Meg - well…some of it I think is an age/maturity thing and some of it is a personality thing. and then some of it is what you teach them and what they see. i’m saying this coming off a mother’s day spent with my mom and two teenage sisters (i’m 25 – they are 18 and 16 – yowzers). we do really all love each other. sometimes it’s just harder to tell than others… the older we all get, the better i think (hope?) we all behave. although my mom might argue with that! 🙂
when i say some of it is personality … my middle sister is super self-absorbed (i say this totally with love) and always, always, always wants to get her own way. my youngest sister is always more concerned with what everyone else wants to do and she likes to keep everyone happy. i’m the oldest and i always feel like more of the child rangler – making sure everyone gets along, mediating fights, changing the subject… but it works!
i guess what i’m saying is – don’t worry, meg. don’t be too hard on yourself or your kids. they seem like great kids and they’re still little! and you seem like such a cool, great mom – honestly, if/when i have kids, i hope i can be like you! they’ll figure it out, it just takes some time!

Molly - I think my day was an exact replica of yours 🙂
Molly
http://www.mypeaceoflove.com

Seleta - Thank YOU for being real. Yes, that’s why we like you.
You just described my day – except at one point I excused myself to get away from arguing kids. I literally got up from the table from lunch and walked away. Tried reading an old magazine in the living room. Nope, they found me. Later we regrouped and took them to the beach…they bickered there too. Then spilled most of their picnic in the sand and cried because they were cold from playing in the water. After they went to bed I had a pity party for myself…but tried to start all over again today.

Laura Phelps - mothers day doesn’t work.
It doesn’t work because the idea of mom getting to be “off duty” means that everything STOPS.
Sure, dad can step in.
And he usually does.
But it is not the same.
I also believe that children KNOW what we want.
But they are…well..children.
And we do teach.
And they do learn.
And they do behave, and make us proud, and care about others.
Just not on OUR day.
ANd now I will stop writing, because my children are fighting…
my mothers day?
I go out with girlfriends.
No husbands.
No children.
Lots of bloody Marys.
Perfect.

Kellie - Thats funny, I felt the same way. We traveled 2 hrs one way to meet my husbands mother for lunch. My almost 4 yr old decides that he has to pee every 10 min and scope out the place. CRAZY!!! On the way home and absolutely no entertainment for 3 kids that have had Dr. Pepper for lunch I decide to have a Mommy nap. I do deserve this right? NOT! Didn’t happen. I was ill. Got home and new we were having company and the house was wreck. Excuse me if you heard me all the way from GA. Then I cooked my own supper. Taco Night. Shredded cheese, cut lettuce, browned ground beef, heated taco shells, cut tomato’s up, and put all of this in the lazy susan for everyone to to devour before I even got to the table with their drinks. I so wanted to scream. So after supper I told Mother very loudly to stop cleaning, that we had already cooked our mothers day meal and we AIN’T cleaning. I don’t care if it is a word or not. And yes, he got the hint. I ended up getting a chocolate waffle cone from Bruster’s too. How sweet! Whatever??? Ok, now I am done. I couldn’t let you feel like the lone ranger of witchen. Just keppin it real.

kristen - Sorry for your bad day – your hair looked really cute!

Musings Of A Gem - Wow you have a lot of long comments! I’m not a mum but I have been with my mum on mothers day when things are very similar. I think all kids are the same!
Gemma X http://musings-of-a-gem.blogspot.com/

JustMommer - Amen Sister, you’re preaching to the choir. We were supposed to go to Olive Garden for M Day, but when we got there it was too early to hang out for 15 minutes and go have lunch. Soooo, we went to Best Buy (guy store) and by the time we got back to Olive Garden the wait was 1 hour. I knew it would be busy, it’s always busy plus it was M Day. Rather than listen to the wait grumble we went to Red Lobster where we could be seated immediately. I know, still yummy food, but not Olive Garden. Red Lobster = Father’s Day.

Heather R. - Laughing with you…not at you! Ugh, the ice cream truck is here right outside my driveway. At dinner time…good times. Have a great day after Mother’s day :)! ~Heather R.

laura r - Ha! Right there with you 🙂 My kids were the worst behaved at Church they have ever been and my husband’s attempts at quieting them down only made them louder. Friends sitting a few pews away kept looking over, obviously wanting to help, but being afraid their efforts would only add to the din my children were making already. It was mortifying 🙁 I watched the kids while the hubby mowed the lawn, then went out for some alone time which was interrupted 30mins later by hubby asking me to bring home something for dinner. At least we had cake and ice cream for dessert 🙂
I loved the post on crafty crow about doing mother’s day gifts with your kids for yourself. It’s true, you will be teaching them what traditions to carry on for that holiday, so you may as well teach them what you like to get! 🙂
Maybe you can get a redo? 😉

The Lady of the House - I just love Annie’s bangs – she’s stinkin’ cute! (that is Annie right?)
Well girl, bummer! Sorry that you didn’t feel like the Queen you are – but hey! Kids will be kids and I think even at 26 my middle sister didn’t even send my mom a mother’s day card but I think she at least called her but wait I don’t even know if she did that actually, I digress…
Atleast your hubby pulled through for you and…
I loved the pics of you checking your teeth – too cute.

Diane - You are way too hard on yourself. Your kids are still kids. You are still ‘mom.’ I would be suspicious if they were too well-behaved. So far, it looks like your kids are genuine and sincere, healthy and energetic, and connected to their family with strong relationships. I love the pictures. They say so much more about who your kids see than a perfect pose might offer. Looks very ‘loved’ to me.
For years, I said a brief prayer over my kids before school. You know, May God go with you . . . Then one morning my sixth grade daughter, instead of rolling her eyes, responded with, “I love you, too, mom.” Wow! She cut right to the heart of it.

Jacqui - I’m starting young! they’re 2 and 4 and I told them all day that it was mothers day and what happens on mothers day – no fighting, no whining, no crying and lots of I love you and hugs for mum who is queen for just one day …. i repeated this over and over and over and I think by the time they are ten they will now it by heart and i would hopefully have created a wonderful mothers day for the future!

Susan - “Her children arise up and call her blessed”, Proverbs 31:28. Your children are still in the growing process but one day (I promise this is true) they will recall all the special days that you were their mother.

ann - Hi Meg,
I have high expectations of myself, of others…I think too high sometimes so I end up feeling disappointed…I need to change how I think!!! I need to focus on what I did accomplish not what I didn’t accomplish. Likewise, what the kids DID right vs. what they didn’t do. I also think it’s funny that you don’t see how awesome you are! Happy Mother’s Day to one lucky lady. Even if your kids may have bickered in the car etc., you are still doing a GREAT job. Love your hair, too!!! 🙂

Michelle Whitlow - oh how I love seeing posts like this! Not because I want you to feel unloved on Mother’s Day but because all of us moms have felt that way. You know, except for those perfect moms who blog and have a perfect husband and perfect kids and a perfect life and they poop out flowers & butterflies. Oops, did I say that out loud?? I think this year was the first year when I really feel like my kids made me feel like I was important. Oh sure, they still argued and whined. But their presents this year were very special & heartfelt. And my husband, after being a parent for 8 1/2 years, just may be starting to “get it”.
…but talk to me next year, I may have a different story to tell!

Diane - LOVED the post. So very true for so many of us. I tried to lower my expectations as well. It helped but still the lack of thought is beyond ridiculous.
Anyways, yes, if we don’t teach them this now it only gets worse. My sister has paid the price and now has 2 daughters who don’t do what they should. I tried to help out a few years but what you don’t teach them they won’t know. And yes, it is heartbreaking to teach them them to honor, respect and appreciate you, especially on this day, but they do have to learn it.
Thanks for the pictures of your family – cute kids! I don’t always comment but I LOVE your blog!

Alisa - Thank you so very much for making me not feel alone in my feelings. I hate that my 16 year old can’t manage to say happy birthday or happy mother’s day to anyone in our immediate family. She apparently thinks it isn’t important unless it it’s for her. Ticks me off and I’m pretty sure she didn’t learn that from me because I have done everything to teach her the opposite, but somehow it doesn’t matter.
Thanks again…..great post!

Karina - You are not alone!
My husband and oldest son drove off in the afternoon of Mother’s Day to find me some flowers. He came home with a sad-looking bouquet that included three dead roses (no un-dead roses in the bunch). He said that was all that was left.
While he was out, my other children were napping. Or so I thought. Imagine my surprise when the doorbell rang and a stranger asked me if I knew my other son was two blocks down at the park by himself in his pajamas?? She thought he looked lost and had him walk her to my door. He had snuck out of the house while I was rumaging in the basement for wrapping paper with which to wrap his birthday present, for his fourth birthday, which is tomorrow.
And I get tons of Viagra spam every day.
So you are not alone at all.
Happy belated Mother’s Day!

Christy - My request for the day was breakfast at my favorite diner, my car washed by my 2 guys & a late lunch at the park with my extended family (mom, sis, their families, etc.), easy clean-up. I got breakfast which was very nice, although the rest of the day was hectic & all the “mom’s” ended up preparing all of the food & no picnic, I ended up hosting at home, as usual. 🙂
Sorry your day wasn’t what you expected, hope next year is better. 🙂 As always, I love that you keep it real!

Amy - I love this post. I love how real you are. It made me think of what I’m teaching to my children…I think it’s time to do some loving on others and sacrificial gift giving. You are an amazing woman, thank you for sharing your not-so-ideal Mother’s day with us!

merlin - Who knew that there are so many of us!!!!
Wow, I have to say thank you again for writing this post. Now, instead of feeling alone, I might persuade myself that this is “normal” since there appears to be enough of us for a club. I still want to work on things being different, that will start with me. I love being a mother nearly 364 days of the year, it’s Mother’s Day that is the most tricky day. I never thought about the issue of expectations, but now I think everybody in the family must be feeling the pressure of expectations and trying to be on their best behaviour…..there must be a better way. Be sure to write about that, when you have it figured out!
You are a huge blessing to me, thank you again.

Dani M - Wow. I could have written this myself. Only not as well and with much more whining. So glad someone wrote about a less than perfect day, makes me feel a little more normal. Apparently I’m not the only one who has some training to do with the children.

se7en - You stole the post right out off my finger tips – still got to get my kids to bed!!!! but man… Amen and Amen…. should I say it again… Amen!!!

Liz - WOW! This sounds EXACTLY like my Mother’s Day! At one point, when my husband was telling our entirely too cranky almost five year old that “today is mommy’s special day”, her response was “Well, when is MY special day?” I looked at her and lost it: EVERY DAY! EVERY DAY IS YOUR SPECIAL DAY! BECAUSE EVERYTHING I DO IS FOR YOU AND YOUR BROTHER. AND WOULD IT KILL YOU TO BE NICE JUST. THIS. ONCE?
Apparently it would have killed her, since the day did not much improve after that. Well, except for at night. When my husband and I put our kids to bed EXTRA early so that we could have some quiet time.
I’ve been telling myself a lot lately that I need to readjust my expectations,… so that they don’t often lead to disappointment.

Tere - First, happy belated mother’s day!
This reminds me of what my mom tells me when I complain of how my kids act, “you created them and made them who they are”. Yeah, I know, thanks mom 🙂
Try this on for next year: There are about 8 “moms” in my close family (sisters, SIL, mom, aunts). We spend the morning with our family, then we go off to do a mom thing together. Yesterday we met at 1pm at my aunts house (no kids, no husbands). We sat on the back porch in the sun. Ate salads with yummy blue cheese, walnuts, chicken, apples (the kind my kids won’t eat), sipped wine, ate good bread, yummy dessert. Laughed a lot. Then came inside and watched “It’s Complicated” with Meryl Streep on the big screen. Laughed some more. Then more wine. Home by 7pm, relaxing.
Then back to the real world. Complaining kids, laundry, preparing for back to school.
It was a great 6 hours though 🙂
You are doing a great job Meg. We are mothers, doing the best we can in any given moment, with what we have. It’s the hardest, most rewarding, important job!

marci - thank you for putting down what i wanted to but didn’t have the guts to.
you are funny and real…i like those two qualities in a person.

susie whyte - HELLO!! you went to sugar sisters!! that right there should cancel out everything negative! 🙂

Lee Ann - Yesterday was my 7th Mother’s Day. Yesterday was the first Mother’s day that I wasn’t disappointed. My husband brought a new tree in for me on Saturday. (That was good – even though I don’t nomally like early gifts….I guess hiding a tree was hard). We had a nice family drive on Saturday – totally unexpected. And then…..what I planned for Sunday – I invited a family over for a BBQ. A family that could use a little extra love. I’ve found I just do better when I serve others. It’s my gifting, and it really helps me to have no expectations for myself. Here’s to next year!! 🙂

Amanda Kay - I really didn’t appreciate my parents UNTIL I went to collegE DO YOU NOTICE HOW I’m writing in all caps off and on. That’s my son…Anyways, you are a wonderful mother. I mean, that’s why so many of us follow you. I think I’ve decided mother’s day is going to be my day to retreat into the mountains and not return until everyone is asleep. I think we all get discouraged when we give our heart away but Jesus wouldn’t have it any other way. Love you girl!

ellen - Meg, I struggle with excpectations, too. My daddy always did really special things in really special ways and I often feel sorry for my husband and children because they have to follow in his footsteps. I have taken to giving some general ideas of special things I enjoy. My sweet husband really likes to do special things for me but I think sometimes he gets overwhelmed by all of the options. He prefers that I just outright tell him some things that I want.
This year we had a little bit of miscommunication and I have to say that I was really disappointed. But everyone else was, too. I decided to just let it go and enjoy the rest of the day. It really got better and I think that our time was sweeter once we worked through it.
I think that you are right about guiding our children to value others and express that. Sometimes teaching a big thing like that seems overwhelming. I’m no expert, but I think knowing my children and their gifts will help me set my expectations. Some people just aren’t great at gift-giving or compliment-paying. Knowing them well, I hope, will help me know how to teach them compassion or encouragement. I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m giving advice. I’m just thinking out loud. My kids are 7, 5 and 2 so we’re still in the trenches of first time obedience and all that. I need advice from someone like you more than anything!

Jennifer - That is upsetting. Somehow my kids have it right, and I’m not sure how; they made me 14 cards between the 2 of them, a banner, chalked the sidewalk…all little things that meant a lot to me. My husband got me a gift too, but really, that wasn’t what meant the most. So I’m not sure why my kids are this way. We’ve always made a big deal out of birthdays for all in the family, not so much $ (well, usually, not always)…not sure why mine get it. EXCEPT that my father made a HUGE deal out of my Mom’s bday and Mother’s Day. He always let us make a cake (from a mix, but still)-one year we made the cake aqua and the icing lavender. Lovely. 🙂 But it was fun, and I’d like to think I had something to do with my girls being this way, but really I’m not sure. I would tell them that it’s the one day for you to feel special and that they kind of hurt your feelings. I don’t think that’s wrong! 🙁
Sorry-you are a fabulous mother and you *are* teaching them to be good people.

merlin - I just got off the phone with my hubby, crying how I feel about Mother’s Day….and that I am the reason it turned out that way. And I feel all alone, and I’m so sorry that your post makes me feel better because I wish we were up today with warmth in our hearts about how perfectly yesterday went and what a fantastic job we’ve done raising our kids.
All I can say is thank you for being so honest and bringing me comfort and giving me another perspective. There were good points to yesterday, it wasn’t all bad. I am mostly disappointed in myself, for getting derailed by stuff that isn’t important, and that I’ve let that happen so often as I’ve mothered over the years. I want to be different.
Maybe, these experiences are what make Granmothers so incredibly special, maybe we are going to be those extraordinary Grandmothers because we are stopping now to think : it could be different, I’m going to work at making it different.
Thank you, thank you for the gift of not feeling alone. I hope you will take a moment to write out 10 things that do make you a good mother….I am sure you could write out 100, but start with 10: You are a good mother, you have done your best, as have I…..we just want better, and that is OK.

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Oh Meg… I so feel ya.
Thankfulness. That is going to be a new lesson around our house. We drove to Santa Monica (awesome). I had more rolled eyes (ugh) and tears (double ugh) than we’ve had in a long time. How did I let it slip this far? Ugh on me.

jaz - I understand this so much – while yesterday was actually the best mothers day ever for me, and I really REALLY was trying to have absolutely no expectations – I know exactly where you are coming from with your post. You are not alone (unfortunately)
🙂
My mothers day card was the best though – all about plucking chin hairs, made me laugh so hard!!!

chasity - my mother in law gave me that advice of “never expect anything” years ago. i hated it then and i hate it now.
i will keep expecting something on those days where i’m supposed to be special~
i’m not expecting diamonds….just a construction paper card.
that’s not asking too much, right.

Sarah B - You are sooo right! Yesterday morning I cried for a full hr because I expected someone, anyone to remember it was Mother’s Day (I am also 8 months pregnant so the hormones are all crazy). And it didn’t get any better from there…definitely not a stellar Mother’s Day BUT you are sooo right. How can I expect something that they don’t understand or are taught. Next year I will straight up tell the family what I expect (and it isn’t cards and gifts…more like thankful attitudes).

Courtney at Vintage Ginger Peaches - Good post! I told my mom I was going to enjoy mother’s day yesterday while my kids still adore me… I acutely remember a brother home from college for Mother’s Day, trying not to take drugs for the day (soon to be checked into rehab) and screaming (obscenities) at my mom from the top of the stairs on the way to church. Even the best moms, and my mom IS THE BEST, have their hard days!
And I had a friend who had a flaming case of mastitis yesterday! Being a mom is 24/7/365!

alyssa - it is oh too easy to get sucked in to the ol’ expectations. I HATE that. But it is so hard on days like yesterday. and they almost always fail when you can’t let go of those expectations. Ugh! It’s hard being a mom!

Nicole Drysdale-Rickman - Yep…I feel ya! My 5 year old was in timeout A LOT of the morning, my 2 year old was a little monkey and my baby was sick and fussy. It felt like more work because my husband wouldn’t let me do anything but then he doesn’t know where certain things are, how to do this or that and so after all was said and done, I ended up having to fix all those things. UGH.
I love that you are real in your posts…it’s one of the HUGE reasons I read your blog!

Pati - Aww Meg! feel for you 🙂 I have been there so many times and over the years I have learned a few things…#1 Remind them it is Mothers Day (a few days before)and hint at what you would like. #2 Your husband sets the tone.It is his job to rally the kids and make them tow the line. Now that my kids are teenagers it is a bit better…but it all boils down to giving you respect on that day, honoring you and what you do day in and day out. Compassion is a hard lesson sometimes to teach children…but you live it with your life and as they get older they will understand.

Mandy - I enjoy your honesty so much! I must have said myself 10 times yesterday…. “just one day” can’t everyone be nice just for one day?! I guess as moms we have to be happy for the few joyous, kind, and sweet moments we do get! Thanks for giving me a good chuckle this morning, and making me feel like I’m not alone in these Mother’s Day thoughts!

Whitney - Megan, thank you for your honesty! I think there are more moms with stories like yours than not… That’s why moms are the strongest people in the world. This Mother’s Day, all I wanted from Fiona was to come to church early with me, so I could sing in the choir because we were saying farewell to some friends who are moving away – the wife stands in the choir next to me. Well, of all things, on this ONE DAY, my daughter who usually happily comes to church, begged off, saying her throat hurt. She’s got some kind of allergy-related thing, not strep. No fever. Just tired and didn’t want to bother. It shocked me. I think of her as generally being compassionate — often typically “only child” selfish on a day-to-day basis — but certainly not on MOTHER’S DAY. I had all the same thoughts you did. Where did I go wrong? It really did upset my whole day because it was so hard to accept. Turned out OK, but, not my best Mother’s Day, that’s for sure. I’m glad you can sympathize. 🙂

Ana - When my kids get in that “it’s all about me” mode, I always remind myself that it takes the frontal lobe of the brain 25 years to fully develop… It’s the only thing that keeps me semi-sane.

meaghan - i will always leave comment..word verification or not 😉 thanks for checking. i mean, how do you not leave a comment when you go ahead and post pics like that?! yes, that’s why i keep coming back for more.

Melanie - Oh Meg, I am sorry! Don’t feel bad for the way you feel. You are right, they should know how to act when you take them out. You have taught them that but sometimes they just don’t follow the rules.
Craig is such a great husband. He sees when you need help and he steps in. He is a keeper:)
You rant all you want to. You can. We have all been there. By the way, where is Lauren? I haven’t seen her in any pictures? Is everything okay?

Holly - Last yr my daughter went out back and picked MY roses and asked for a vase. She fixed a beautiful arrangement for her Sunday school teacher. No gift for me. No card. Nothing. I was so hurt. So, I get what you are saying. This year they were all great, so I think it is just seasons. Sending big hugs knowing exactly how you are feeling. Don’t feel bad now for speaking it out loud. But, you said it is you who teaches them… Megan, I have seen yor love when you make celebrations for them and you have done that job. Just give them time for it to stick and for it to grow in them. IT WILL!

Sarah@Clover Lane - First, I love that motto too. I always say LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS…and sometimes that goes all the way down to just no puking. Sometimes maybe even lower?
Second, I love your honesty.
Third, all I asked for was no fighting on Mother’s Day…I got it! For about 10 minutes in the morning! 🙂

rhonda - My husband let me sleep late. After that, it was a normal day. I cooked, cleaned, changed diapers, and disciplined all day long. If I don’t do those things, who will? My husband is very helpful, but it still takes two sometimes!
and those pictures of you? all gorgeous.

Cate O'Malley - I totally hear you. As the kids were bickering last night and my son was telling me he only wanted PB&J for dinner, I was seriously counting down the minutes until bedtime so I could get some peace and quiet. Just another day in our house too.

Susan - I feel your pain…my daughter woke me up at 5:30 a.m. so I could open the card (her dad bought for her to give me). She signed it. It was cute, but noisy. Then while I was getting ready for church my husband came to me and asked me why I posted that I was sad on my facebook. I didn’t. It was 10:00 by then and the time stamp was 5 hours ago. I know who was up at 5:00 a.m. How she managed to do this I don’t know she is nine, has dyslexia and a lot of trouble reading but she is a whiz at the computer. I was getting posts and text messages from friends wanting to know what was wrong. I don’t know how you do it…I only have one child!