Mother’s Day is a loved holiday for many families. It becomes a painful reminder, however, for those who are missing their mother. For children, this can be especially difficult to get through. Here are some ways to celebrate Mother’s Day when your children do not have a mother for whatever reason.
1. Plan a Family Day
Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate an important family member. Even when this family member is missing, it does not mean you are any less of a family. Use this day as a family day, and make it a holiday about you and your family’s unique situation. Plan a special outing, or even an overnight road trip.
2. Celebrate an Honorary “Mother”
Have your children been blessed with women in their lives who act as strong female role models to them? Celebrate these women on this day. If your children have a close grandmother, aunt, or family friend, let your children show their gratitude on this day. These women can also be given any cards or crafts your children have made at school or church.
3. Serve Others in Need
When you are feeling as though life couldn’t be any more difficult, put the focus onto others. Use Mother’s Day to assist those in need, and those whom life has dealt a bad hand. You can serve at a soup kitchen, or deliver gifts to an elderly shut-in. You never know whose life you may touch with a simple act of kindness, or how much your own life may be touched.
4. Avoid the Holiday Completely
If it helps you and your children, feel free to skip this holiday. Your family has already been through enough pain, and there is no need to intensify those feelings. Take a break from the business of this holiday, and spend time somewhere you will not bump into constant reminders of what you and your children do not have.
5. Enjoy Nature
If there is anywhere that Mother’s Day can be modified to suit your own circumstances, it is in the great outdoors. Take your family for a hike, nature walk or boat ride and simply enjoy the atmosphere and each other. Spend time appreciating the people that you value and love.
6. Allow Yourselves to Grieve
This holiday is no time to stuff your feelings. If you have had a beloved wife pass away, or your ex left you and your children alone, give yourself some time away from the rest of the family to deal with those feelings. Allow yourself to cry, get angry, and take it out in a constructive manner. This will help you continue to heal.
Mother’s Day can be difficult and painful when you are missing the person who the day is named for. With a little creativity and help, however, you can transform this holiday into one that will bring you special memories for years to come. Use some of these ideas as a way to make a bridge between what you have lost, and what you can love and appreciate right now.