Your mother announces that she has almost three weeks free in June and would like to drop in to see you and her grandchildren before their school breaks for summer vacation. You are delighted and can hardly wait! You start making a list of things you wish to do before she arrives so that you are free to be with her at the time. You also want to make the most of her visit but are challenged about what things you could do that both of you can enjoy while being with one another. Here is a list that can help.
1. Shopping – This is a great stress buster for women of all age groups. Most women love to go shopping even if they do only window-shopping. It gives them time to pick up the threads of conversation from where they left last off with the person they have for company while going through the stores. However, do not make it a very long outing if your mother is aging or frail. If you plan to stay out for most part of the day, take frequent breaks and have snacks and rehydrate often, and have her freshen up before you continue with the mall crawl. (Source: EHow.com, Family, Parenting; Report Title: How to Plan Fun Mother-Daughter Activities; URL: http://www.ehow.com/how_2156395_plan-fun-motherdaughter-activities.html)
2. Afternoon tea/coffee with friends – This can be a very relaxing experience. This gives your mother the opportunity to meet with your friends in the comfort of your home. You can also have friends meet the two of you at a cafe if you do not wish to stress over fixing snacks and tidying up the house to receive guests.
3. A visit to the spa is an experience your mother will cherish. Whether she is a working mother or one tiring of keeping her house running, she will welcome this visit to the spa. It will relax her and force her to think about giving herself such breaks more often when she returns back to her own home. She has worked hard all her life raising her family. She deserves giving herself a priority now.
4. Dropping in at the neighborhood's elderly – If your friends are all busy with their lives, you can always take your mother around your neighborhood. If there are other women living around your home who you know, you can introduce your mother to them. It will be a nice change for both the women to know and talk to someone they have not met before.
5. Catch up on the personal chat by going out to a cafe for some away-from-home coffee time - Sometimes the sameness of the home can be boring for the two of you. Also, if you wish to discuss something new with your mother, such as relationship issues, her health, etc., a neutral setting outside of the home may be a good place to start.
6. Days at home are also a good idea. Remember that you do not have to find an activity to do every day. She and you may both want to have some down time at home doing nothing in particular. If your mother is old, she may tire easily of stepping out every day and may appreciate some time home with you. You can spend the time looking at albums together, catching up on a TV serial or just puttering about the house with cooking and laundry, etc.
7. Cooking together is always fun especially if it is taken as a learning experience. There are always some recipes you thought you would like to learn from your mother to make for your own family. This is a good time to learn. You may also teach her new ones that you have learned from friends, the internet, or cooking classes since her last visit.
8. Your mother’s visit is a wonderful opportunity for her to spend time with your children. This gives them the time to know her better and for her to bond stronger with them. The children can learn a lot from her experience and she can learn new things from the children. Grandchildren often bond with and love their grandmother very much. This will also free you up from a lot of stay-at-home time when you can step out to catch up activities you like to do on your own.
9. Despite being her break, it is important your mother incorporates some exercises as well in her day. Strenuous activities should be avoided but exercises such as aqua aerobics, yoga and walks can do both you and her world of good.
10. Gardening has therapeutic benefits. If you are lucky enough to own a home with a patch of green, then weather-permitting, a good part of the day can be spent in the garden either tending to the plants or relaxing there on a garden chair with a glass of chilled lemonade. Of course you need to ensure that both of you are shielded by hats, sunglasses and sunscreen lotion for longer stays outside. In case you do not own a garden, you can always include her in a picnic or fishing trip for just the two of you. (Source: Shine, Yahoo!; Article Title:’ 6 feel-good, healthy (and maybe even relationship-mending) mother-daughter activities for Mother's Day’; Author: Jessic Ashley; URL: http://shine.yahoo.com/event/mothersday/6-feel-good-healthy-and-maybe-even-relationship-mending-mother-daughter-activities-for-mothers-day-1395517)
11. Movies, museums and the theater will also provide a good change as an outing activity. You can arrange for tickets to a play, recital, concert or the opera. This will give you some time to be out of home and experience culture and newness which neither of you probably do very often in everyday living. It will also give you something to talk and think about.
12. Holiday together if there are good places to see/visit around where you live that you think the two of you will enjoy. You may take a few days off or plan a short weekend trip to such places. It will be change for both of you and will the routine of city life.
Mamta Singh is a published author of the books Migraines for the Informed Woman (Publisher: Rupa & Co. URL: http://www.amazon.com/Migraines-Informed-Woman-Tips-Sufferer/dp/8129115174/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1298990756&sr=1-2), the upcoming Rev Up Your Life! (Publisher: Hay House India) and Mentor Your Mind (Publisher: Sterling Publishers). She is also a seasoned business, creative and academic writer. She is a certified fitness instructor, personal trainer & sports nutritionist through IFA, Florida USA. Mamta is an NCFE-certified Holistic Health Therapist SAC Dip U.K. She is the lead writer and holds Expert Author status in many well-received health, fitness and nutrition sites. She runs her own popular blogs on migraines in women and holistic health. Mamta holds a double Master's Degree in Commerce and Business. She is a registered practitioner with the UN recognised Art of Living Foundation.