Here’s What I Really Want for Mother’s Day (And Every Sunday Thereafter)

How do I want to celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend? Two words: Rest and Takeout.

The last two months have been draining in a way we never thought possible. Our brains are scattered. We don’t know what the next month will bring. We can’t focus. We’re worried. We worry about the virus. We worry about getting our older parents sick. We can’t hug our friends and relatives. We wonder how long this will last.

We talk through windows. We never want to hop on another Zoom call ever again. Homeschool is fine. Homeschool is awful. We’re homeschool masters. We’re not getting any work done. We got a little work done. We’re not sure camps will be open. We hope our kids are going back to school in the Fall. Killer hornets are coming.

We do rainbow science experiments. We can’t seem to get off the couch. We throw another load of laundry in. The sink is full of dishes again. We put on a motivating playlist and get a second wind. Snacktime. We go on a nature hike. We paint rocks. Time to make dinner. We eat dinner and play a silly game. Time for bath. Time for snuggles. Time for bed. Time to wakeup and do it all over again.

It’s a blur. We’ve lost our sense of time. And for working parents, it’s that feeling of not doing anything well, but multiplied by infinity.

So yeah. Takeout and rest sounds about right.

Sure, a cute interview with the kids would be special. A sweet craft handmade by them would warm my heart. A special package from a local business is a great idea. And if you need ideas for takeout Mother’s Day Brunch, OnMilwaukee.com has a great roundup.

But I know my partner is stressed, too. I don’t need him trying to orchestrate some grand gesture while he’s dealing with the same thing I am.

I just want huge hugs from everyone in the morning, some cute handmade signs, a delicious meal I had nothing to do with preparing, and then a couple hours with no one around.

And honestly, designated time alone is something my husband and I both need on the regular. Nothing elaborate or complicated. Just a break from everyone else and time to quiet our minds. I can’t imagine functioning well without it. Single parents, consider this permission to declare every Sunday movie day and retreat to your bedroom.

It’s cliche to say that Mother’s Day (and Father’s Day) is every day, but let’s at least try for once a week.

What are your plans for Mother’s Day this year? We’d love to hear you, and you could be featured on our blog or social media! Email hello@mkewithkids.com.