Mother’s Day approaches rapidly! Amongst the minefield of targeted ads and sip-and-shop brunches, trying to just have a nice relaxing day can quickly become overwhelming and even stressful. There is something almost sinister about the capitalistic pressure to “relax” – a ridiculous oxymoronic syndrome of being a modern mom. But celebrating Mother’s Day YOUR way doesn’t have to be an arduous task, and it doesn’t have to look all that fantastic to feel immensely special.
Last year, I was freshly pregnant with my second child, trying to enjoy my first Mother’s Day with my first child, and I felt so paralyzed by the need to celebrate that I don’t really even remember doing much of anything, except scraping together a few precious minutes to play Skyrim, an old RPG video game that is dear to my heart. For those slim 45 minutes, I kind of just felt like… myself. What a beautiful feeling. The new Zelda game comes out on Friday, and all I want to do on Mother’s Day is spend a few hours playing it. That’s it. No, this is not a particularly “Instagrammable” way to spend Mother’s Day, but it’s what I actually want to do to relax and reconnect with myself.
Being a mom means giving up a huge portion of yourself, especially in those early years. The postpartum weeks, months, and years perform a sort of alchemy on your soul that cannot be fully appreciated until you have experienced it yourself. But we are all unique individuals, just as we are all unique mothers. And you don’t have to lose ALL of yourself in motherhood. Just because yoga pants and crossbody bags are convenient ways of dressing doesn’t mean that’s who you ARE. Mother’s Day doesn’t have to be all spas and scented candles (no shade to either). We are all still our lovable unconventional selves underneath the superhero cape and mask of motherhood. Celebrate that! Do something for yourself this Mother’s Day; something that genuinely makes you and all your inner weirdness happy, even if it feels like something silly or untraditional.
Here are some unconventional suggestions for some unconventional moms;
Outdoorsy Adventure
Get out there and hit the trails for a hike at a state park, ride your bike around town, or stroll amongst the sand at the beach. Indian Well State Park is just a short drive up the Housatonic, and it has some incredible views and trails!
Nerdy Girl Cave
Close the door, leave the house and curl up with a great video game, read a good book, or watch an “adult” movie for once. Zelda is coming out this Friday for all you Nintendo moms… I know you’re out there!
Sporty Competition
Gather up the girls and play a rousing game of tennis, pickleball, basketball, volleyball, softball… get back some of your inner team spirit! Milford Rec is hosting Bike Month this month, get your passport stamped to win entries into their raffle!
Dancing Queen
Go to a live show, pump some tunes in your kitchen, go “clubbing” in your house or another momma’s house.. feel the rhythm! Cafe Nine in New Haven has some great line-ups this week, including a free show on Thursday night and Josephine Foster on Sunday evening!
Self-care is a big buzzword that gets thrown around pretty willy-nilly these days, describing mostly services and products. But the best self-care you can do is actually just caring for yourself. Love yourself, and all your rough spots and idiosyncrasies. The more we love ourselves, the better off our kids will be. Truth. Try not to get caught up in what you should be doing this weekend and just… be! There are a million ways to celebrate Mother’s Day, but I’ll bet there’s only a handful of things that you ACTUALLY want to do. If going to a fancy restaurant with the in-laws for a drawn-out brunch isn’t one of them… don’t do it!
It takes all types of moms to run this global village: working moms, stay-at-home moms, single moms, LGBTQ+ moms, and lots of moms who maybe aren’t “moms” in the traditional sense. This day is for ALL of us primary caretakers who fill that “mom” role in our kids’ lives. We all deserve just a little day to polish off the old parts of our pre-kid selves and celebrate, in whatever fashion makes us truly happy.
Let’s normalize breaking the mold on Mother’s Day. Let’s hear it for nerdy, sporty, spicy moms of all shapes, sizes, genders! Whether you’re sipping mimosas, throwing back a beer, sipping tea, chugging iced coffee, whatever it may be, just make sure you’re making this Mother’s Day YOUR day!
