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Top Five Treats for Mummy
[February 2008]
Mother's Day should be another little perk of parenthood, a special day when you get presents and kisses and cuddles but you don't have to get up first with the kids or make any meals.
Oh ha ha! For many I suspect this is a dream that will never come true. I have a little soft focus image of Daddy bringing me breakfast and our little monster leaping happily onto our fabulously fluffy and white bed - but then being removed so I can actually enjoy it without having tea spilt on my arms or toast stuck to my face.
We all have to accept that some daddies are a bit rubbish. Not at tickling and being the Daddy-Monster and generally loving their children to bits, but at thinking about what a mummy might really appreciate. They just need a bit of help and these five little treats should give them a few ideas.
1 Top of the list is to make us cry, in a good way. I know that I will be filling up if our wee man jumps on me and generally showers me with affection. Needy maybe, but mums need a bit back sometimes. It shows us that it's all been worthwhile (being pregnant, childbirth, no sleep, a different body, days with no adult contact, no career... ). Dads can achieve the same effect by sitting down and making something with the little ones. Anything from a picture or card to a cup cake will warm a mummy's heart.
2 A close second is to let us leave the house on our own and abandon our family for a short time. You really can't go wrong with some sort of spa treat, whether it's a pedicure, an hour in a floatation tank or an entire weekend in a posh spa hotel. This can really suit every pocket too. Last Minute has an array of offers and you can search by region. Von Essen group has a number of special packages available at luxury hotels across the country. These include spa treatments and, cunningly, organised activities to keep dads and the kids entertained.
3 A good tip for fathers is to arrange a babysitter and book a London show for both of you sometime soon. This also gives you some precious time together. There aren't many mothers who wouldn't fancy a bit of Dirty Dancing and a night in a London hotel with the man of her dreams (you still are, hopefully, or she can take him). A London Theatre Break including tickets to Dirty Dancing and an overnight stay in a 3 or 4 star hotel including breakfast costs from £119 per person. You could drive her wild with afternoon tea, a London attraction and a pre-theatre dinner thrown in too.
4 We all love to get away for a few days so dads looking for some serious brownie points should get searching for country cottages, homely guest houses or luxury hotels that the whole family can enjoy. Enjoy England has some great ideas for Mother's Day, including staying in a castle or a lighthouse. If you're looking to go further afield why not give her the VIP treatment by booking an airport lounge to relax in before the flight. Prices start from £18.00 per person.
5 Finally the classic Mother's Day treat: Sunday lunch at her favourite local restaurant or pub. There are few things better than being brought delicious food that someone else has cooked and will clear away. It's also nice if you get the chance to eat it while it's still hot. Daddies take note, it's your turn to feed tiny tots and retrieve toddlers from between the legs of fellow diners.
Last year Mother's Day was a bit of a blur to me and I struggle to remember it at all. H was around five months old and to be honest I think I was still a little shell-shocked.
On 2 March this year I intend to savour every minute, whether I'm at home watching CBeebies or being whisked away to a luxury lighthouse.
by Maxine Clarke
