Celebrating mom in her own style

A great way to show your love for special people is to spend time exploring their interests, and the same is true when it comes to honoring our moms this Mother’s Day.

We’ve developed a list of ways to celebrate moms with a variety of interests, but the most meaningful part of the experience is the cherished time together. The shared experience could be just as meaningful as the activity itself.

Here are our suggestions to make Mom feel honored:

• Find a fun cooking class to attend together if your mom loves making culinary creations. It could be a chance for her to refine her skills and for you to learn something new.
• If you have a fitness-loving mom, consider signing up to run a 5K with her. She could challenge you to meet your fitness goals, and she might provide a little competition on the side.
• Many moms love the beach, but we are pretty landlocked here in Kansas City. To help Mom feel as if she were somewhere tropical, consider redecorating a room in the house with a beach theme. Even better would be scheduling a time for the whole family to go to one of the local lake beaches and have a day of fun in the sun and sand.
• Having a green thumb and a love for gardening is a skill of many moms. If that’s the case for your mom, take her to a local nursery and pick out flowers. You could also plant a garden—an endeavor that would give you a shared activity all summer long. If you want to take it a bit further, consider taking her to Powell Gardens or the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.
• Laughter is infectious in happy homes. If your mom loves to laugh, find a joke website and try out new jokes. In the process, you could create all sorts of funny memories as you test the jokes on others.
• Does your mom love to sew or make things with her hands? Take her to a craft store and pick out items for a project you can do together. If you are not crafty yourself, let your mom teach you some of her skills.
• Music might be your mom’s passion. If that’s the case, develop a lineup of concerts and live music opportunities you could attend with her. The summer offers many free outdoor concerts to experience, and you could also look for the next local concert of one of her favorite musicians.
• We all enjoy binge-watching a good show. To spend some quality time with Mom, why not indulge with her in a marathon viewing of her favorite show?
• Perhaps your mom enjoys simple pleasures in life—like going for a walk. In that case, accompany her along her favorite walking path. To make the occasion more memorable, scout out the scene beforehand and strategically place notes of appreciation for her along the way.
• Enjoying nature and the peacefulness of the outdoors is often something moms crave as a reprieve. To make the most of the outdoors, plan a picnic lunch for her in her favorite nature spot.
• Instead of just buying Mom chocolate or sweets, consider taking her on a tour of some of the best places to buy indulgences in Kansas City. After all, what problems in life would not melt away after vising Christopher Elbow Chocolates and Andre’s Confiserie Suisse? While you are at it, find some other local artisan chocolate and candy makers.
• Photography might be one of your mom’s hobbies. If it is, take her to some new spots outdoors, let her capture some amazing images and find some places for her to showcase the final product.
• If Mom loves reading, join a book club with her or go hear one of her favorite author’s speak. Not only will the experience give you a shared memory, but it will also give you a chance for many meaningful discussions. 
• If you mom loves family game night, find a new game you haven’t played before that you are sure she will love. If you have played just about everything, make up your own game with Mom’s help.

Moms teach us so many important life lessons, but there is always something new they can teach us. By celebrating what Mom enjoys, not only will you have the opportunity to create a memory, but she will also likely teach you a new skill. In the process, you might learn something about her that you didn’t know before.

Allison Gibeson is a Lee’s Summit writer and mom who would love to go on a chocolate tour of Kansas City this Mother’s Day.