to mothers I spoke with, the answer could include:
• Time to yourself, followed by some intimate family time. This might mean two hours alone, untugged-upon at the mall, the gym, or in the garden, and then lunch with the family.
• An inviolable promise of future help. Adria Manary suggests a coupon book, made by the children, with coupons redeemable at any future time for tasks like taking out the garbage to making the beds.
• A surprise that reflects both scheming and an embedded awareness of who Mom really is. If she loves art museums, and her family playfully kidnaps her and whisks her away to one, this is great.
Based on the above criteria, the following gifts you can make for your mom will surely present a memorable Mother's Day.
Colin McEnroe is a writer and radio talk show host in Hartford, Ct.
