Mother's Day Tips for Parents of Teenagers

Parent Cafe
1

<p>These were sent to me by my DD. Her friend found them on about.com. It isn’t too late to try this with your teenager! </p>

<p>Teenagers learn through repetition, so remind them early and often. Use notes, discuss it at dinner and tape a poster on the ceiling above their bed. A simple “Mother’s Day is coming!” repeated 1000 times will go a long way.</p>

<p>Set clear expectations. Place a note with your wants on the refrigerator. Be concise. Example: ‘1.) Breakfast in Bed - complete with dishes washed afterwards; 2.) Flowers - from a florist, not the neighbor’s garden; etc’. </p>

<p>Avoid mixed messages. Let your teen know, loud and clear, that although you have been harping on them to clean their room for the last month, if they do this on Mother’s Day it will NOT be considered a gift to you.</p>

<p>Don’t miss any opportunity for open communication. When your teenager asks for something, like a ride somewhere, start your answer with, “You know, Mother’s Day is only (insert # of days) days away.” Do this before you answer them.</p>

<p>It takes a whole village to raise a teenager. So get on the phone with your teenager’s friend’s mom and share your strategies.</p>

<p>Create a unified front with your husband. If he is unwilling at first to help with your cause, remind him that whatever your teenagers are unable to do for you on Mother’s Day, he will be expected to accomplish.</p>

<p>Set the consequences beforehand. Do this by reminding your teenager that not only will you always be their mother, you will also someday be the grandmother to their children. The possibilities for revenge here are endless.</p>

<p>If your teen expresses how uncool it is to conform to the commercialism of society by observing Mother’s Day, tell them that you are proud of their views. Then inform them that K-Mart is having a sale on jeans.</p>

<p>If all else fails, guilt should be employed. No need for exaggeration, the detailed story of their birth, including the number of hours you were in labor, will do.</p>

2

<p>Very funny! :D</p>

<p>I was astonished and moved to receive a Mother’s Day present from my college freshman this year. It may actually be the first time that he has gone out and purchased a present for someone with his own money. And apparently unprompted. (Perhaps the influence of his floormates?)</p>

3

<p>I just received flowers from my D1, who is in the middle of her finals now. I guess all the nagging did pay off.</p>

4

<p>Yesterday my oldest son (25) accidentally copied me on an e-mail to his younger siblings calling everyone to action for Mother’s Day. He was bothered that I saw it, but I was pleased to see him making sure his siblings were on top of things.</p>

5

<p>Hilarious! </p>

<p>My freshman D sent me a gift too! Some of my favorite little goodies in a cardboard box she made herself (didn’t have the right size, so she cut down a larger box) all taped up. I felt so loved.</p>

6

<p>mimk6,
that is very sweet…especially since it was a son that did this and not a daughter !</p>

7

<p>My son texted me from a friends… I think all his friends where texting their moms…</p>

8

<p>I got a two minute sad-sounding (probably just exhausted) phone call… :frowning: I am jealous of the little presents…</p>

9

<p>I had a message on my answering machine from son this am (I was out). I sent him a txt msg acknowledging his call. he called again around 6pm on his dinner break from work. I’m thrilled. I don’t need a card or gift from him to be happy.</p>

10

<p>I’m with you sue…DD is still at home–HS Sr.–she made me scones and coffee for breakfast and helped around the house in a cheerful way today. DS is in school across the country. He Im’d me this morning then called. We had a very short call and he had to run. He offer to call later but I told him no worries, I was going out with DH. A five minute call to say “I love you and Happy Mother’s Day” is enough for me.</p>

11

<p>This is the second time son has called after finishing a final on Mother’s Day (Dad emailed a reminder this morning and he told him when he answered the phone that there were plenty of reminders around campus)- again he called during the allotted time for the exam meaning he knew enough to finish early. One down, 5 to go. Have to wait to finalize moving stuff home next weekend until he is done and has time to think about the details. Older teens are often in college or taking AP exams around Mother’s Day- they don’t need to be additionally stressed by obligations/expectations now. I wonder if college students start getting nostaligic about mom and home this time of year when they are in the midst of finishing school work and needing to think about moving out.</p>

12

<p>It’s my first mother’s day that none of my children have been with me, yet I am very happy. I remember teenagerhood… “ohbytheway… happymother’sday”.</p>

<p>But yesterday flowers came…from all 3 of them. They coordinated it! They planned! The card said that they were all so sad that none of them would be with me today. I was so touched that I cried. Who would be sad on Mother’s Day when she has 3 children who are growing into such fine young adults and who let her know that they love her?!</p>

13

<p>was awakened to my 13 y.o. serving me french toast, “looked up recipe on internet mom” strawberries and coffee, “I know how to use that thing” (coffee press)</p>

<p>17 y.o. daughter woke me asking where the phone charger was :wink: then gave me touching homemade card…</p>

<p>both made dinner for me and their grandma…even son’s famous homemade mashed potatoes</p>

<p>19 y.o. son skyped from college tonight, “okay now open the gift I sent you” a beautiful stained glass mirror with a tree of life design…I feel blessed…</p>

<p>yep they did hear me all these years ;)</p>

14

<p>I feel a little better after reading this. 7 year old daughter showered me with gifts (homemade & store-bought) a scavenger hunt for my gifts, card, etc. Son gave me several hugs thru the day, an ILY and “happy mother’s day” but no card or gift.</p>

<p>My dad used to encourage us not to forget mother’s day, etc., so feeling that maybe hub could have promoted it a bit more. Not his fault though; must remember – teen boy, be glad for what you get! </p>

<p>I cooked a brunch for my own mom, got her flowers & a card. That was fun, too!</p>

15

<p>I am not big on Mother’s Day or the other greeting card holidays. I am all about birthdays and Christmas! I just expect a call and I do call my mother and stepmother. My daughter came over and spent the day with us and cooked dinner. My son is finishing finals/papers and had enough of a break to honor my request that he go out to my sister’s house and have Mother’s Day dinner with his grandmother and that part of our family. He sent me Mother’s Day wishes via Twitter, which I thought was appropriate for this day and age. Son in law was on call (intern) and sent me wishes via Twitter and email.</p>

16

<p>Older D works in a city @ 100 miles away. She drove down for the day, helped her Dad cook dinner and brought along a FABULOUS cheesecake she made from scratch. She brought a beautiful flowering plant and lovely card. Warmed my heart to see her “all grown up”. She leaves for graduate school half way across the country in a couple of months and having her to ourselves for a whole day was wonderful.</p>

<p>Younger D is abroad this month but put a card in a place I would find it before she left. Every surface of the inside and the entire back is covered in her writing. It is essentially a philosophical argument for and against buying gifts for Mother’s Day (she’s written a ton of papers for a philosophy class this past semester!). I read it, then my husband read it - we both just sat there completely blown away, tears running down our faces. Here is a little of what she wrote - </p>

<p>

</p>

<p>This is the child who at the age of 6 or 7 took her own money, got on her little bicycle, getting herself to a florist several blocks away, ordering flowers to be delivered one Mother’s Day. Last summer she was in a language program half way across the country. She bought a digital frame, loaded it with photos of our family through the years (which she had to take out of photo albums and scan into the computer individually), and hid in her closet. She called on my birthday (a couple of months later) and led me to the gift with a series of clues. </p>

<p>Am I so blessed!</p>

17

<p>Wow, Midwest Parent!</p>

18

<p>My kids can’t write that well, not philosophy major either. It is beautiful. It is nice to be appreciated and loved.</p>

19

<p>Although I tend to agree with the feeling that it’s a Hallmark day and that every day is mother’s day, I still enjoyed my lovely Mother’s Day. Four of my Ds were here, along with their significant others. They did all the prep, cooking, and clean-up for dinner. My D who lives and works in the UK called while everyone was here which was nice for all of us. I got gifts that I love, nothing huge but small thoughtful gifts from each of them, and pretty flowers from my H. All in all, it was a great day. Now today, it’s back to reality! :)</p>

20

<p>D is a philosophy-neuroscience-psychology and foreign language double major. Usually we only see the science side. It WAS nice to see the philosophy/psychology side come out a little!</p>