This short article is simply about honoring single mothers on Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day can be hard for single moms to cope with, but there are things that you and your children can do to get through the day easily. Remember that you deserve a celebration and that you need to take the time to honor yourself.
Things to Do on Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day, as we have mentioned, can be a very difficult day indeed for single mothers to handle. Here are some ideas about what to do on the day so that you can handle it a little better.
Don’t let Mother’s Day go unrecognized in your home, because you deserve to be honored by your children. Just remember that in most cases you will need to get the ball rolling because children seldom have the initiative to do it themselves. Make sure that you instigate a celebration of some kind so that the day doesn’t simply slip by uncelebrated. Going to the movies or even just to the park to celebrate Mother’s Day may be a good idea. You will be the one who will have to foot the bill, but that is not what is important. What is important is that you are modeling self-respect to your children and making it clear that this is the day where you make all of the decisions about what you as a family are going to do together.
Don’t expect your children to read your mind. Be up front with them about what you want to do on Mother’s Day. In most cases they will not think of the things that seem so obvious to you. Discuss gift ideas and celebration plans with them openly and give them an idea of how you would like them to behave on this day. Reinforce that the day is about you.
Make sure that your children know the meaning of Mother’s Day. For example, you could take them to the library and read some of the many children’s books about Mother’s Day that you will find there. This will give them a fairly good, and often quite a broad, understanding of what Mother’s Day really is. There are also often TV shows on at this time of year that focus on Mother’s Day, and they will also probably be doing some activities at school which are centered around this day. If they come home with a Mother’s Day gift or card from school, be sure to use the opportunity firstly, to thank them for the lovely gesture, and also to speak to them about the meaning of Mother’s Day.
If you have very young children, then it may be a good idea to spend some time on Mother’s Day making a gift with them. Craft work is fun for everyone and will remind your children in the years to come that a gift is usually appropriate on Mother’s Day.
Remember that it is very important that you make some time for yourself on Mother’s Day as well, because you, too, should honor yourself on this special day. You have been through a lot and worked hard to get to the point where you are now with your family, and you deserve recognition for that.
Honoring Single Mothers on Mother’s Day: Interesting Single Mom Statistics to Cheer You Up
Here are some Mother’s Day statistics about single moms that remind us just why we should be honoring single mothers on Mother’s Day:
- The first interesting fact is that about 78% of single mothers are happy with their lives, despite all of the stress that they are under. Even more interestingly, this is a slightly higher percentage of happy women than for women without children.
- About a third of single moms are likely to allow their children to set them up on a date. This is because single mothers value the opinion of their children when forming new relationships.
- Most single moms would only consider remarrying if their children had a good relationship with their new partner.
- A large percentage of single mothers are employed despite the stereotype to the contrary, and many of them are able to support themselves and their children.
- Relatively few single moms are receiving government aid in order to survive. Despite the dour picture that people often paint of single mothers, they are often more than strong enough to look after themselves and their kids.
A Poem for Single Mothers this Mother’s Day
“This single mother poem… was written just for you…a woman doing her best at the hardest job in the world, in need of comfort and inspiration”. – The Poet
Ode to a Single Mother
She’s fixer of sinks and drier of tears Anxious, yet valiant allayer of fears.
She works a full day Commutes home, and then She works another full-time job, again.
She’s master accountant And counselor, too She sets aside worries to listen to you.
There’s laundry and cooking and cleaning to do. Homework, then bathtime A story or two.
She’s finder of toys And righter of wrongs. She’s busy. She’s tired. She’s lonely. She’s strong.
When the day is done, The kids safely in bed, No energy’s left for the thoughts in her head.
She turns them all off along with the lights. Crawls under covers – Gives in to the night.
Before the rise of the sun She be up and back to it. There’s no other option No one else to do it.
If you, too, know this woman (she goes by many names) Applaud her, she belongs to no ascribed hall of fame.
But a tacit sisterhood, Arduous like no other, Of extraordinary women Also know as Single Mothers.
Written by Tamara Sue Appelman
Being a single mother is something that should be celebrated; it is one of the hardest tasks in the world, but it is also one of the most rewarding. Mother’s Day is a day for you to remind your children that you are someone special, because, yes, children often do need to be reminded of these things. But it also involves reminding yourself that you are special. That is one of the most important things that you need to remember this Mother’s Day. Honoring single mothers on Mother’s Day involves learning how to honor yourself as well.