To the person who has the hardest job of all. To the person who’s doing the best job of all. To the queen of the house. To the one person we should appreciate all year round (but more so on Mother’s Day).
1. Tell her she’s beautiful everyday – without looking like you’re rubbing your youth in her face while saying it. As parents age, gravity seems to get the better of them. Nobody likes to talk about it. But in the hushed up corner or in their mind, the concerns of ageing and looking past their prime is constantly playing. “Did anyone notice my crow’s feet?” “Is my (insert favorite body part) starting to sag?”
2. Occasionally give her a day’s rest and cook for her instead. Or take her on a holiday and pamper her (dads are optional, in case he’s the party pooper type). Being a mother is a tough full time job that doesn’t pay well and demands 24/7/365 duties. The next time you think your job is tough, think of your mum.
3. Tell her you’re a virgin. (before you’re married)
4. Call her oh-so-often. If you can find time to blog twice a day, a call to your mum once or twice a week isn’t that much to ask, especially if you live away from your parents. They will really appreciate the thought of you remembering them amidst the hectic work schedule and wild partying weekends.
5. Give her a nice ang pow for Chinese New Year, Christmas, Hari Raya or Deepavali – depending on what you celebrate. They may not be kids but it means a lot to them if you show that you do care for them as much as they care for you when you were one.
6. It would really put a smile on her face if you stop switching the channel to MTV every time she wants to watch her Bold and Beautiful or Korean drama.
7. Keep a calendar note of mum’s birthday/anniversary. Most importantly, remind dad about it the day before. If dad forgets, it means War! The whole family would be eating leftovers and canned food for a week.
8. Buy her presents. A gorgeous trinket for Valentine’s Day (it’s not just for lovers, you know) or a handbag just for fun anytime of the year is guaranteed to put a smile on her face. It shows that you do think of her. Mum’s are generally not into expensive gifts, what’s more important is the thought.
9. Buy her the Carpenters Greatest Hits CD instead of downloading them on MP3. If mummy dearest can work the iPod, great. But if she doesn’t, it’s fine too. Don’t be stingy fork out that dough for some great tunes, if you’re at loss what to get her for Mother’s Day.
10. Buy her a laptop. Register a username like CoolMum/Da’Mom on MSN or Yahoo! Teach her to get online, so she can reach you anytime. That way, you can keep in touch even if you’re hundreds of miles apart or just working really late in the office. Now, if that doesn’t put a smile on mum’s face, we don’t know what will.
