Mothers Day ideas for the whole week

Chocolates and flowers are all very well, but why not defy commercialism and spend some time savouring the significance of motherhood? Make Mother's Day more of an event in your family with a week of celebration!

DAY 1 
Think about your own mother

Our own mothers have played such a huge role in shaping who we are. Have you ever found yourself echoing her words as you bring up your own children? The early memories we have of our mothers are treasures. For a poignant start to the week, drop the kids off somewhere (maybe even with your mother!) and go have a coffee. Take along a notebook or a couple of sheets of nice writing paper, and write down some memories of your mum, and later share them with your children around the dinner table. They will be fascinated to hear about their grandmother, through your eyes. Younger children especially have probably not thought of you being small once upon a time, dependent on your mum. Take some time today to cherish your mother and develop her legacy.

DAY 2 
Share your experience of becoming a mum

Share with your children your memories of the day you became their mum. What were you doing when you went into labour? How fast did Daddy drive to the hospital? What was it like to see their precious baby face for the first time? Even little ones will be captivated, especially when you pull out their baby photos.

DAY 3 
Start a family journal

Get out some good old-fashioned paper and a pen. In fact, why not go shopping and treat yourself to a beautiful notebook, and create a family journal. Your aim is to create a new kind of memory book, one that you can go back to each Mother's Day, noting down the highlights and lowlights, milestones and memories of the previous year. You can even use your family journal as a scrapbook to collect the souvenirs of your week of motherhood celebrations.

DAY 4 
Time for speeches

Host your own toast-masters evening and encourage every family member to contribute. Start with your own "Why I like being your mum" speech, and then it's your children's turn to reply, telling you why they like you being their mum. Be specific, highlighting personal achievements of each child, and the things that have made you especially proud in the past year.

DAY 5 
Craft some special vouchers

Quality-time vouchers for kids, acts of service vouchers for mum! For example, "this voucher entitles the bearer to takeaway dinner at the park" or "breakfast together watching Saturday morning cartoons", allowing your children to choose a time to redeem them. If they are old enough, encourage them to make you vouchers in return, for a week's worth of washing folding, for example. If they are too young, maybe their Dad would like to help them!

DAY 6 
Book a photo shoot

You probably have screeds of photos of your offspring, but how many do you have of yourself? Today's the day to work the camera. Capture life's everyday moments and get your children to photograph you from their point of view. Make sure you take some shots of the whole family, even if you have to resort to the old holding-the-camera-out-in-front-of-you self-portrait. Print them out; they'll look great in the family journal!

DAY 7
Eat, drink, and be merry

Breakfast in bed, but not as you know it. Get the whole family to pile in, preferably for an easy and tidyish menu that doesn't require any effort on your part! Muesli bars and pottles of yoghurt, perhaps, or fresh fruit and croissants if you're brave! Plan the day, asking each family member what they think you would like to do - after they have made your bed, that is, and cleaned up all the crumbs!