Are you a mom? Do you remember your first Mother’s Day? What did you
think of it? Did it live up to the hype? Do you go all out, or just
relax at home?
Mother’s
Day is celebrated on different days of the year in various countries.
Here in the U.S., it is today, May 10. There are several possibilities
of its origin, from mother worship in ancient Greece, the Roman holiday
Matronalia (dedicated to Juno, but mothers were given gifts), or the
Christian festival in Lent to celebrate Mary, mother of Jesus.
As
I think about this day’s origins, I wonder if one day of celebration is
enough. Not because I’m now “officially” a mom (I’ve been a mom to my
stepdaughter for almost 10 years now, but just had my own son last
fall), but because I now understand what mothers really do.
Mother’s
Day wasn’t started in corporate America, designed to sell cards,
flowers, or diamonds. It started around 150 years ago when Anna Jarvis,
an Appalachian homemaker, organized a day to raise awareness of poor
health conditions in her community. She felt the cause could best be
carried by mothers. It was called “Mother’s Work Day.” In 1914,
Congress designated the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. And it’s
now the most popular day of the year for dining out (according to the
National Restaurant Association). And phone lines buzz with high
traffic as children call their mothers to say hello, and hopefully
thank you.
I’ve always appreciated having a loving Mom. And I
was lucky to have such a terrific relationship with her. But now… now I
really get it. When you become a parent, you understand even more about
your mother’s love than you did before. And this year, my thank you, my
“I love you, Mom” will be even more sincere than it has been before.
Thanks for driving me to the movies.
Thanks for carpooling to marching band and pep band events.
Thanks for taking me shopping.
Thanks for our weekly grocery trips, where we sang along to the oldies on the radio.
Thanks for teaching me to drive.
Thanks for helping me with my first car.
Here are a few more facts about Mother’s Day.
- There are 80.5 million mothers of all ages in the U.S., and 55% are between 14-44 years old.
- Most U.S. women can expect to have two kids (except the Duggar family in Arkansas, who just announced they’re expecting their 18th child). Women in Niger, Africa can expect at least seven children.
- More than 150 million Mother’s Day cards will be sent in the U.S.
- In 2006, the average age of a new mom was 25 years
old. More than 50% returned to work within four months (no surprise
since the average leave is somewhere between 6 weeks and 3 months). The
average childcare payment was $92 a week.
(US Census Bureau, 2006 stats)
We hope you moms have a terrific day. Enjoy your
brunches, breakfasts in bed, flowers, cards, or however you decide to
celebrate. And maybe you can convince Dad to watch the kids while you
take a drive. Enjoy the scenery, maybe stop for a coffee. Whatever it
is, have fun!
By Becky Scott
Contributing Editor, Mother of two
anna jarvis
