Give Mom Some Quiet Time
How to give the gift of peace and quiet
Finding peace and quiet amidst life's hectic pace - especially when you're a mom - can be incredibly difficult. Juggling kids, relationships, friends and work, busy mothers rarely have the time or the opportunity to indulge in the art of solitude that everyone needs from time to time. This Mother's Day, help her slow down and spend some time alone. Here's how:
Give her a getaway
If you've got the means and she's got the time, why not send her away for a day or a night at a favorite hotel, golf course or inn? Think about splurging on a cozy bed and breakfast, a posh downtown hotel or an afternoon at a day spa. A day of golf, room service, an evening out at the theater or a luxurious afternoon at a spa - what better way to thank her for being a wonderful mother? Giving her one day away from daily demands to relax and rejuvenate alone or with friends - or maybe her own mother - can do a world of good!
Go away
OK, we don't mean you should pack up your things and move out, but it wouldn't hurt to give her some quiet time in her own home. There are a thousand things you can do out of the house with the kids! Consider a trip to the zoo, the movies, an arcade, a museum, a science centre, a water park, fishing or just on a long hike and picnic. Giving Mom a few hours to indulge in some alone time at home, means she can do whatever she pleases! She may accomplish a task she's been meaning to finish, lounge around with a good book or take a nap - either way, the time is hers to spend as she pleases.
Make a retreat at home
If you can't send her away for some alone time on Mother's Day, consider preparing an oasis of calm for Mom at home. All you'll need to make this happen is a clean, quiet room, an afternoon and some basic retreat rules. If she's a spa lover, think about setting up a spa at home to give her the privacy she needs. Bring in candles, soft music and scented bubble bath and leave on her own to soak away her stress. If she's a book lover, be sure to give her the gift of a great read and the peace and quiet required to enjoy it. If she's got the green thumb in the family, some kid-free garden time with a new flat of flowers or a new gardening book could be just the thing.
Retreat rules
Be sure to follow these few simple rules for making the most of an at-home retreat for Mom:
1. Do not disturb
Ask her how long she would like to be alone and do not disturb her until that time. Keep kids, pets, phone calls and errands off of her to-do list.
2. Offer room service
A retreat, by definition, is a getaway - so make it feel like a mini-vacation. Deliver her favorite foods and drinks, offer her new magazines, rent her favorite movies and ask her if there's anything you can pick up for her.
3. Be her personal assistant
Offer to run out and pick up the groceries or dry cleaning, and be prepared to answer phone calls and take messages while she's "away".
4. Clean up
Definitely act as the maid! Choose a room or two in the house and clean them up to her liking. Wash the floors, do a load of laundry, tackle the windows. There's nothing better than returning to a clean home on Mother's Day!
