Becoming a mum is probably the most momentous day of your life, so it’s only right there’s a special day to celebrate your role as the best mummy in the world, ever!
And while it’s lovely to get a bit of a lie-in and a bunch of flowers, it’s also a day to spend time making memories you’ll have long after those blooms have faded. Take your pick from our tried-and-tested ideas…
1. Pedal
Spend Mother’s Day afternoon going for a bike ride, with your little one safely in a childseat or trailer. Explore a chunk of the National Cycle Network – it’s over 14,000 miles long, and passes through the centre of every major UK town. A third of the routes are traffic-free on disused railways or forest tracks, and the remainder on quiet roads or traffic-calmed streets.
2. Record mum milestones
Now you’re so busy recognising the milestones in your little one’s life, you’ve probably stopped noticing your own. Start a new Mother’s Day tradition of recording what you’re proud of in a journal, that will build into a record of your motherhood journey. It doesn’t have to be a big job – just jot down your mum-achievements.
Some might be physical things – you cracked one-handed breastfeeding, you baked your youngster’s birthday cake, or you made it out the door in less than half-an-hour! And others might be emotional: you’re tougher than you ever thought possible, you’re blown away by the fact your body grew a baby, or you finally know what love really feels like.
3. Rave
Dancing is fab fun for all the family. Big Fish Little Fish runs amazing family discos for tots and their parents, and this year is holding vitrual kitchen raves so you can still get involved at home!
4. Love
Ask your toddler to tell you five things that she loves about you. And go with whatever she says. Write the list down, pop it into a clip frame, and hang it up. We promise it will make you smile every time you look at it!
5. Indulge
Make time for some me-time. Run yourself a bath once the tots have gone to bed, with bubbles and candles to make a home-spa experience. Or have a Mother’s Day meal, with your favourite foods and of course dessert.
6. Match your mini-me
You probably spend a lot of time watching your little one, but this fun mirror game will help you both appreciate each other. Sit together in front of a mirror and talk about what you see.
Even if your baby can’t talk yet, she’ll love looking in the mirror and matching up your features. Do your noses look the same? What shape are your faces? Do you both have freckles?
7. Eat cake
Afternoon tea is traditionally a rather civilised affair, but many hotels and cafes are great at creating themed teas, and catering for little ones too with mini milkshakes and cakes for toddlers, and something a little more sophisticated for Mum.
Lots of companies are also delivering afternoon teas to your door - so you can order everything you need for a tea party at home. If you love baking, how about creating the cakes yourself for a homemade afternoon treat.
8. Build a memory box
Each Mother’s Day will bring another card and little homemade treasure. Rather than sticking them in a drawer when it’s all over, make a memory box with your youngster.
Paint a shoe box with a mix of two parts poster paint and one part PVA glue, and stick on a photo of you and baby. As well as that cute homemade card, pop in any ticket stubs from the day, and jot down what you all got up to, too. You’ll be so glad you kept these memories!
9. Make your own teething necklace
Older siblings will love helping to make a teething necklace for you and a younger brother or sister. You can find suitable beads online, and even some DIY kits with everything you need to make a teething necklace.
10. Start a YouTube channel
Videos capture snapshots of your youngster’s development and personality at a time when she’s rapidly changing, and making your own ‘Mummy and Me’ YouTube channel gives you a great place to store them all. Don’t worry if you don’t fancy becoming an internet hit – you can control exactly who can see your videos.
Create your channel at youtube.com, and get recording! It’s not just the super-cute bits you’ll love when you watch these back, but the everyday moments that show life just as it is. And, believe it or not, you’ll laugh at any less-than-perfect family moments, so don’t edit them out!
11. Rekindle a passion
Many of us lose our sense of identity in the early days of being a mum, as we get caught up in the whirlwind of life centred around our baby. So why not make Mother’s Day the day you get back to doing something you used to love, but haven’t found time for since becoming a mum?
Find a way to share it with your youngster, too - so if you used to enjoy a regular yoga class, look up a baby yoga video classto follow! She may be teeny, but you can still talk to her about how it makes you feel. She’ll love to sense your excitement and you’ll sow a seed that it’s important to nurture her sense of self.
12. Recognise your superhero status
No one who’s not a mum herself will ever understand just how busy your day is, even when you’re not going anywhere. And keeping all those balls up in the air can mean you don’t ever stop and fully appreciate the attention your baby lavishes on you.
This Mother’s Day, take a moment to immerse yourself in the here and now and fully enjoy just how much this little person you created dotes on you. You are the very centre of his world and he adores you – and that’s pretty darn awesome!
13. Paint
Who needs an elaborate bouquet of fresh flowers when you can have a blooming wonderful Mother’s Day picture?
Draw a plant pot shape on a big sheet of paper and some flower stems. Then let the fun begin!
Let your toddler paint her hand, then press down to create a flower handprint. Paint your hand to make some prints, too, and create the picture together.
14. Start a mum playlist
There’s nothing like motherhood to supply you with a host of new songs that mean something to you, from the tunes that were in the charts when you were pregnant and the songs you listened to in labour, to the music that now gets your toddler wriggling.
Make it a Mother’s Day job to create a playlist of your journey so far, and add to it every year. Then put it on and dance, baby!
15. Plan a trip down memory lane
Close your eyes and think back to the places you enjoyed when you were a child. Sitting on a swing at the park? Going for a slice of chocolate cake at a local café? Having a day out at the nearest beach? Wouldn’t it be fun to share these places with your own child?
Now, that might mean a walk around the corner or a weekend away, but you’ll be surprised by how emotional a journey this will be. If it's something that will have to wait until after lockdown, there's no harm in planning as family about what trips you are going to do when you can. Sharing experiences across the generations will help you realise and value just how far you’ve come.