Who Does Mother's Day for Mom When Dad's Away?
If free time is what moms crave, imagine what it's like for a military spouse with children who has been doubly-busy as a sole parent for 12-18 months, often for the fourth or fifth time in the past decade.
LAWTON, OK, May 02, 2012
MOPS International recently asked a Facebook group of thousands of fans what they wanted for Mother's Day. The answers were NOT breakfast in bed, flowers, or jewelry. Not even chocolate. Instead, moms wanted a little R&R: time to read, time away from cleaning, or maybe even a full kid-free day. Let's face it: Busy moms take care of everyone else. They rarely make time to take care of their selves.If free time is what moms crave, imagine what it's like for a military spouse with children who has been doubly-busy as a sole parent for 12-18 months, often for the fourth or fifth time in the past decade. And then ask yourself, who usually puts on a Mother's Day for you? Is it dad? So what does that mean for a military spouse mom on Mother's Day? Guess that duty, celebrating Mother's Day, falls to her too.
How about stepping in to give her one full day off? It'd be a special way to support the troops during this ongoing war. And it is the "stepping up" of a neighbor or a Good Samaritan to thank military families that helps make their service worthwhile. Indeed, according to the book 1001 Things to Love about Military Life, released last Veteran's Day, one thing to love, the 414th thing, is that emotion or moment when tears start because a perfect stranger has stopped to say "Thanks for your family's sacrifice." Another is the kindness of neighbors when your spouse is deployed (Number 916).
Imagine the tears of joy if someone said, "In thanks for your family's sacrifice, I'm giving you a day off." Neighbors might work together to make this happen by watching the children, mowing the lawn, arranging a spa day, paying for a cleaning fairy, or taking over some other routine task allowing mom to spend a hard-earned, duty-free, R&R day alone.
Mother's Day is about honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, so important to our society and the world. The military family's role in society is one of great import too. Celebrate and honor both with a simple gesture of your gratefulness, and your efforts are guaranteed to make it a happy day all around.
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