This post originally appeared on the blog of Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA). TexProtects is proud to be the Texas Affiliate of PCAA.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day, a chance for each of us to recognize and thank the women who raised us. But even on a day that was created to recognize and thank moms, it’s important to remember that being a parent means no days off. So this year, in addition to the bouquets, boxes of chocolates and quality time spent together, we challenge you to think about how you can support moms every single day.
From managing careers to running a household, to balancing checkbooks and laundry baskets, Moms do it all. And because of the always-on nature of parenthood, it can be tough for Mom to find the time to take care of herself. Self-care is an important part of life for any caregiver and one way that you can help support the moms you care about is to look for ways to support her throughout the year. For example, you can:
- Offer to babysit for a Mom in your community who could use a night off to rest and recharge,
- Bring over a home-cooked meal to a Mom you know so there’s one less thing she needs to worry about that evening,
- Sign up to be a mentor or a volunteer at a pre- or after-school program, helping to ensure that working moms have a safe space for their children to go during work hours, or
- Host a block party, helping create connections and among families in your neighborhood
Actions like these can help build up the support systems in a community and can create opportunities for moms to receive the help they may need but are too busy to seek out. By taking steps to reduce the stress that moms may feel and building up the social connections for mothers in your neighborhood, you can help build the protective factors and increase the available supports that all families need to thrive.
So this Mother’s Day, whether you choose to thank the moms in your life with gifts or quality time spent together, remember that Mom will still need help going forward. Show the moms in your life by giving them the best gift of all – the promise of support.
