Mothers Know Best
“Show affection, leave big notes where they’ll see them and little notes in their lunch.”
“Put limits on how far you will extend yourself.”
“Delegate as much as possible. Even a preschooler can help.”
These are a few suggestions written by moms around the country in a free booklet, “Things We’ve Learned Along The Way,” compiled by the Consumer Affairs department at KUDOS Brand, a division of M&M/ MARS candy company.
Since 1992, KUDOS Brand has run an annual contest called Working Mother of the Year. Mothers are asked to send in essays describing how they meet the demands of their busy lives while maintaining a quality of life that makes it worthwhile.
Contest winners were announced in January, and the most creative tips were compiled in this booklet. It contains more than 60 tips with sections such as “Being a Family,” “Finding Time” and “Taking Care of Mom.”
For a complimentary copy, write to: M&M/MARS Consumer Affairs KUDOS Brand, 800 High St., Hackettstown, NJ 07840.
Motherhood made humorous: To better understand Mother’s Day, stop and smell the diapers, say the authors of a new book, “Motherhood is not for Wimps” ($6.95, Walrus Productions).
The book, co-authored by sisters Catherine Burr and Beverly Hopper, takes a humorous look at the everyday experiences of mothering, “the most demanding and toughest job that comes with the least amount of training.”
It’s available at Holiday’s Hallmark (formerly Cronin’s) in Coeur d’Alene, and on the South Hill; Julie’s Hallmark in north Spokane; and Halpin’s in the Spokane Valley.
Support for moms: A monthly newsletter, Welcome Home, provides a forum for mothers to share support, information and insight.
Each issue contains family related public policy updates, common parenting problems with solutions, and reader-contributed poetry and stories about the struggles and successes of motherhood.
Welcome Home is published by Mothers at Home, a non-profit organization providing support and encouragement to at-home mothers.
A year’s subscription (12 issues) is $18. To order, send your name, address and check payable to: Welcome Home, 8310A Old Courthouse Road, Vienna, VA 22182.
Send a bear hug: When mom lives far away, here is a gift sure to please.
“Send-A-Hug” is a gift tin containing Hugs, a teddy bear who carries your personal Mother’s Day message in a unique “Teddy Hug-Gram” he holds in his paws.
Around his neck is a gold-embossed card which says, “This Bear’s My ‘Hugs’ To You!”
Hugs carries a black velvet pouch filled with chocolate kisses. You can also choose a gift book for the tin from titles such as “14,000 Things to be Happy About,” “The Hug Therapy Book” and “For Mom.”
“Send-A-Hug” tins begin at $32.95, with nationwide delivery. Orders placed by Wednesday ensure delivery by Mother’s Day. Call (800) 949-HUGS.
A portion of the proceeds goes toward Alzheimer’s and cancer research.
, DataTimes MEMO: The Family Track offers notes and information for families. Send items to Lynn Gibson, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615, or fax (509) 459-5098.