Planning a Meaningful Mother’s Day for YOU

Image: Cynthia holding her book and wearing a shirt that
says,"Mothering is an Act of Revolutionary LOVE"

Did you know that Mother’s Day wasn’t originally about giving mom flowers and taking her to brunch? In fact, the commercial version of Mother’s Day was offensive to the creator of this national American holiday! After spending six years campaigning to create it, Anna Jarvis spent the last years of her life denouncing its commercialization and urging people to stop buying Mother’s Day flowers, cards and candies.

Where did Mother’s Day come from?

Image: Cynthia dressed as Wonder
Woman at a protest for women's rights

So, what is Mother’s Day supposed to be about? There were several factors that fed into our American Mother’s Day. All of them had to do with activism for the lives of children and creating a peaceful world for them to live in. Here are three notable milestones.

1858: Ann Jarvis, a young homemaker, organized “Mother’s Work Days” to improve the sanitation and avert deaths from insects and polluted water. Her groups later worked for unification after the Civil War. In 1868 Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day,” when mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation.

1872: Julia Ward Howe - a poet, pacifist and women’s suffragist - established a special day for mothers and for peace after Franco-Prussian War.

1914: Ann Jarvis’s daughter, Anna, memorialized her mother’s life of activism with a campaign that succeeded when President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation making Mother’s Day a national holiday.

How should we celebrate Mother’s Day?

Image: A rubber duckie cake

As an activist, I’m proud to know this history and feel like I want to honor those early pioneers in mutual aid and peace activism. As a busy mom who highly values self-care, I also very much want a morning brunch with my family or maybe someone to make me a rubber duckie cake. But good news! There are 24 hours in Mother’s Day, so I suggest a balanced bit of everything that makes sure you honor yourself and the spirit of the day. 

Cynthia's Recipe for a Happy Mother's Day

• Do something nice with your family: a brunch? a walk? a game?
• Do something nice for yourself: a nap? a book? a bath?
• Do something nice for your mom if she’s in your life: a text? a phone call? a visit?
• Do something nice for the world: an online action? a phone call to Congress? a letter to the editor?

You likely have ideas on the first three, but in case you need inspiration for the last one, here are some links on issues important to moms that will lead you to some quick, but meaningful, actions with non-partisan advocacy groups. You don't have to do all of them at once! I'm just giving you some choices. They'll still be there on Monday, too!

• Global immunization action with Shot@Life
• Protecting immigrant families action with MomsRising
• Gunsense policy action with Moms Demand Action
• Nutrition action with Bread for the World
• Child Tax Credit and Global Health actions with RESULTS
• Pollution and Climate actions with Moms Clean Air Force
• Cease Fire in Gaza action with AFSC

Enjoy your Mother's Day!

Image: Book cover

Buy an autographed copy of "From Changing Diapers to Changing the World: Why Moms Make Great Advocates and How to Get Started" at my website www.changyit.com or order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any independent bookstore!

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