As the weeks quickly fly by I find that I’m constantly seeing the bombardment of Mother’s Day gift ideas one store after another. I watch many of my friends and their siblings scramble to put together a gift, more extravagant than the year before. I laugh when I hear my friends on the phone with their siblings asking things like “Do you want to split that and give it to mom?”, “What are you getting mom, do you think she needs another picture frame?” or my personal favourite, “If you pay for dinner I’ll pay for the gift.” I sit back and smirk because I have this Mother’s Day gift giving thing in the bag.
As an only child, I am often seen as selfish and bratty, I’ve often heard people say, “Oh, you are an only child? I bet you’ve never had to share or make a decision for yourself.” You definitely get used to those comments eventually but it doesn’t ever stop me from wanting to say, “Correct Sharron, I’ve never been kind enough to share a stapler or a pen nor did I decide where I would attend post-secondary school, where I would buy my car from, or if I should wear a t-shirt or a sweater today!” In reality, only children are not only very calm, cool, and collected we are also self-sufficient and strong-willed independent doers and thinkers.
As the favourite child (only children make this debate easy on their parents), I often succeed when it comes to gift giving. Mother’s Day is actually a lot of fun around our house. Every Mother’s Day my mom will request flowers to plant in her garden, I’ll run out early in the morning and pick up her favourite coffee, a fun card and a variety of potted flowers, nurseries and stores often will have lots available on Mother’s Day for those last minute shoppers, plus, flowers are always best when they are fresh! My mom and I will enjoy our coffees and make our plans for the day.
We decide on lunch, her pick since it’s her day (I just make sure I pay), and I’ll indulge in her interests for the day, a run to Costco, a midday movie, I’ll even let her talk my ear off about how I should invest in stock, or get an RSP (does anyone really know what that is anyway?).
Often times when you are an only child your parents just want to spend time with you, in the beginning only children are almost expected to roll with the punches when it comes to parents working, spending a lot of time around adults, the theory that we don’t like to share only really reigns true due to that we never had to share our space with other children. Really when you think about it, only children aren’t selfish, at a young age we were just exposed to the likes of you, Sharron!
On Mother’s Day especially I know my mom looks and me and pats herself on the back, she has raised a strong, independent woman. As her only child, I am the only gift she needs, I relish in the fact that she is blessed with me as her child and when people ask if I wish I had any siblings I coyly respond by saying, “No way, my mom knew better then to mess with perfection!”
Whatever you are up to for Mother’s Day weekend just remember, your mom wants to spend time with you, buy her a card, give her some flowers and allow her the opportunity to hug and kiss you and embarrass you, it’s not often she gets to treat you like that little baby you once were.
**GIVEAWAY CLOSED**
Check out our Hallmark Mother’s Day Giveaway running on our Facebook page until May 10th at 12 am.
Brought to you by Hallmark Canada.
