Mothering Sunday

Sorry Dragonfly didn't mean to upset you She is nearly 14. She has an awful lot going for her, she is very pretty and clever (yes I know, I would say that but she is) but her most endearing quality is her kindness. I hope she never changes.

KatyK that made me blub! What a lovely thing to do.

I too am on my own today but I am just glad I have two healthy sons and partners and two adorable granddaughters and although they are far away I know they care. Happy mother's day to all.

I took my dgd shopping yesterday to buy her mum a mother's day present. She chose a pretty necklace and said to me 'its ok nan i can go to the till myself' so i had a look round while she paid. . She stayed here overnight. This morning she handed me a box which contained a beautiful necklace with a butterfly on it. Written on the box were the words 'grandma you held my tiny hand when i was little and i hold you in my heart forever'. I hace spent the whole day blubbing!

Mine have sent me gifts and cards, but it hasn't been possible to be with them this time. One DS is on duty and DS2's partner is working this weekend, so all fragmented anyway.

Mothering Sunday/Mothers' Day is such a hype now..causes too many upsets imo! I love my girls and I know they love me. I am fortunate to see them regularly..they were here last Sunday for a trad lunch and I have see them both more than once during the week. DH has major work to complete this weekend so 4 x lively DGCs not conducive to report writing.
I can see that if you don't see your children very often then it is an opportunity to make an effort..but like all those special days there is often a split of family loyalty!

I am not sure how I would feel if my DDs lived a further away ..a card and a phone call maybe? Lunches and bouquets ..I am not so sure!

yes as OP have mentioned, I do take time to think about all others who's mums are no longer with them, and know how lucky I am at 58 to still have my parents as I know one day I will be facing the same.

I will be missing my dear old mum tomorrow, and popping over to see my DD, who will also be visiting her partners mum that afternoon

Maybe your daughter is missing her sister and doesn't want to do things they did together? I know my friend fee her sister

That won't happen when my son finds a partner. This is his first year away from us on mother's day on his own. and he has an appalling memory and rarely knows what day it is, but I told my family not to remind him. I know he loves me.

I also told my daughter to stop buying me presents and cards, it should be her day with her little children, but she too has a local MiL who expects a fuss so she doesn't like to treat us differently. As she doesn't have much money, and Other Granny has three daughters to spoil her, I feel she could let up a bit but apparently it's her Sil's who make her feel that she has to spend a fortune, and also buy presents from the GCs as well as from parents. She is only just recovering from buying all the Xmas presents for such a large family, and then she has to buy all the cousins Easter eggs. She feels it never stops.

When I was with Ex, he was such a lazy father that I used to insist on having a decent mother's day, with lunch out, presents and breakfast in bed and a couple of hours to myself. But now that I feel appreciated enough, I no longer need all that. Maybe if they never spoke to me I would feel differently.

So, parcels and cards have been dispatched to the great grans, who DO expect a bit of a fuss and phone calls, and this year I shall join them in what each of them do every year - go to a large garden centre, spend a small fortune and have lunch out. It wasn't my idea - it was DBH's! It probably started because of all the garden centre vouchers they receive.

If my own mother or MiL were to ask me to stop the whole thing, I would be delighted.

I do recall when I was a brand new Mum for the first time, being more than a bit miffed that there was no acknowledgement of my new status on Mother's Day. Instead I had to dress up DD1 and take her + cards and flowers to visit 'she who must be obeyed' (AKA my MIL) with a quick pop-in to my Mum's on the way home. That was the pattern for subsequent Mothers Days until my DDs were old enough to make me a card and present unaided.

I still believe that the actual hands-on 24/7 Mothers should take precedence on the day and have ensured that since they were born my DGC have always had cards and flowers for their mums (my DDs). Son-in-Law and Son-out-Law seem to think, just as DH did, that the only Mother who needs a special treat is their own one.

Thank you for the last, GA.

I think that my children are always particularly aware of the estrangement from my eldest daughter on Mothering Sunday and so want to make up for her absence. My youngest son has sent me a card that he's designed himself in which he thanks me for my support and says lovely things about me, my older son will be having lunch with his in-laws tomorrow and will call in to see me because he well knows that I'd much prefer ten minutes of his time than a card. He probably won't buy me a card (he's anti the 'hallmark' aspect of the day), but last year his wife gave me a beautiful hand-made card that was just from her. I think he may get me a bunch of flowers or some token gift. My daughter in New Zealand may Skype - or not - depending on her shifts and my youngest daughter has just left me, having driven for two hours to hand deliver a bouquet and card and give me a chance to cuddle the grandchildren. I expect I'll also get cards/texts from people who I have 'mothered' in the past. They're all different in their approaches to the day and I appreciate each of them for doing things in their own ways.
Tomorrow my parents in law are coming to lunch and my own mother has received the card I sent and will get a phone call from me in the morning.
It's a day like any other in our family, but I do relish having a particular day when it's okay to say the things that otherwise might go unsaid. My mother in law knows how much I love her and I often tell her, but sometimes it's good to spell out the whys and wherefores.
For those who have lost or are estranged from children and feel it keenly on this day.

Mother's Day is especially hard when you've lost a child for you Trendy and ((((hugs))))

When my own 3 were little I appreciated the cards they made for me but always discouraged buying cards and overpriced flowers. I had a lovely birthday with them 2 weeks ago and don't feel any need for mother's day. When I had the wee ones ( 3 and 5) on Friday they painted cards for mum and we made daffodils with egg boxes and straws. Hope she likes them tomorrow!

I think that if your children have their own children and they also have 2 sets of Mothers [us Grandparents] actually getting to see both Mothers can be difficult unless they all live very locally.That doesn't mean they they can forget their Mothers though, a card and gift through the post is not hard to arrange.They may have busy lives, but in the past we all had busy lives too but managed to get a card to our Mother in time.

We still operate as an integrated family even though we are widely scattered, the idea of 'expecting children to visit on certain days' or 'children choosing to stay in touch' doesn't seem to arise. Emails bat between us most days. I always copy DDiL into any email I send DS - and vice versa. DGD is now in the loop and also receives emails on items of interest to her and replies with news of school and dancing. As soon as DGS can read, I will start writing to him

Are parents being unreasonable in expecting their dhildren to visit on other days apart from birthdays, christmas, mothers/fathers day? Do others feel that it is better if their children stay in touch because they want to and not becasue they have to?

Well that soon went!

Nutter

Mmmmm! chomp chomp chomp.

Here is a big slice and some for everyone who will be missing family on Sunday.

Here's a big slice for you, with two marzipan balls.

(That was quick, wasn't it, it's my new super duper virtual mixer and oven. Made the marzipan myself too!)

Yeah!! (Sits up and begs with tongue hanging out)

I suppose I could make one for Gransnetters ...

Oh, this is making my mouth water now. Sounds fine to me FlicketyB. [sigh]