It’s Mother’s Day

Eleven-year-old Mithila’s world is buzzing with activity. She goes to school every morning and every evening she practices table tennis at her tennis club. “Mithila is going to play for the state,” her mother proudly admits,” she came second in state championships last year. “Even though Mithila’s day is mostly spent with friends and relatives, she finds some time each day to talk to her mother about the day’s happenings.It is to her mother she blurts out her feelings, whether she is jealous of someone, whether she is happy or just plain angry.

“I love everything about my mother,” Mithila claims. No wonder then that she wants to thank her mother on Mother’s Day and give her a gift. “But what shall I give her,” she asks, “what will make her happy?”

Mithila has never before given a gift to her mother on this occasion. Naturally she is confused as to what her mother will expect from her. A visit to the card shop probably won’t solve her problem as the single row of Dear Mother’ cards with complicated messages would not seem attractive to a 11-year-old. Neither can she rely on suggestion from her friends as most of the are not aware of Mother’s day. “I got to know about it after I saw an advertisement on television,” Mithila confesses.

“It is a recent phenomenon,” points out Leena, mother of 12-year-old Avi. “If someone told him what to do, he would gladly do something for me. He made a beautiful card for me on my birthday,”’ she says, Leena explains that even an 18-year-old would feel confused about choosing a gift for his mother, not to mention the confusion of a 11-12-year-old child.

The solution perhaps lies in guiding the child in the right direction. Sharmila Pai, editor of a children’s monthly newspaper, explains that in their current issue they have proposed an activity for the kids on the occasion of Mother’s Day. The children are asked to make a bouquet of paper flowers and a small hand cut out of paper, holding those flowers. The bouquet is not only easy for kids to make but is also an ideal gift to give their mothers, flowers that will never wither away’.

Similarly, Divya’s mother, Nina once helped her daughter make a popcorn garland, an activity that was suggested in her daughter’s play school. Both sat and coloured the popcorn and strung them to make a garland. “The fun was also in doing the activity together,” says Nina, who has carefully preserved the garland that her daughter has gifted her. She occasionally takes it out to display it to her friends.

Sharmila also suggests that it would be a good idea for kids to make a resolution on this day, just for their mothers. They could promise to help in the house, clean their own plate every day or simply drink up their milk. Whatever the resolution, it would certainly be bonus for the mother. It would mean a lot to them.

“We are not looking for something big from them anyway,” opines Leena, “For instance I’ve never wanted Avi to get hundred per cent marks in his exams. I’ve just told him to be a good child, that’s all.” Mother’s aren’t looking for fancy gifts, a small gesture will be more than enough. So hurry up kids, get some paper and colours ready and make a card for your mom, or simply hug her and say, “I love you”.