Taking the Kids: A Mother's Day gift guaranteed to please
The key: This gift is not something she would want to share with her kids.
IOU FOR A VACATION DAY'S ACTIVITIES. If possible, let each child in the family "own" the itinerary for one day. With dad's help, they can plan where to go, how to get there, what to eat and purchase tickets, if necessary. If you are heading to a theme park, let the kids plan an itinerary that includes their top picks each day, relieving mom of having to negotiate each morning. If you are heading to a national park, let the kids plan the day's hike. If you are going to the beach, let the kids make sure you have what you need, everything from sunscreen to towels to sand toys and snacks.
IOU FOR TIME TO DO WHATEVER. Maybe the mom in your life just wants a couple of hours to go exploring on her own. Maybe she craves a couple of hours to read on the beach, or go for a long run. If there's a teen in the gang, he can give mom an IOU for babysitting. This would be a welcome present from Dad too, of course.
When it comes to Mother's Day gifts for grandmas, what they want most is time with the kids. So they get an IOU TO BE WITH THE GRANDKIDS ON VACATION. You are probably planning some sort of multigenerational getaway in the next year -- multigenerational travel is a leading segment of the travel industry.
Here's the chance to plan something special for Grandma and her little darlings. Maybe a Broadway matinee, if she's a theater lover and if the kids are old enough. Maybe a baseball game, if she's a big fan. (Take grandma and the kids to a minor league game -- much cheaper, more low key and a lot of fun!) Maybe an adult-child cooking class?
If your gang loves the outdoors and exploring new places, surprise mom or grandma with a guided family adventure trip (dates to be determined) with a company like Oars or Backroads, which offer special family trips and individual trips for extended families. There's no playing tour guide, cooking or entertaining the kids -- just having a good time together.
And that's the best gift you can give. Happy Mother's Day!
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(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.)
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