No-Pressure Mother's Day: 6 Ways to Spend the Day

Want to spend time with your family on Mother's Day? Or perhaps you want some alone time with your partner. Or how about some alone time with yourself? The truth is, everyone's idea of a perfect Mother's Day is a little bit different, and they're all equally valid. Here are six simple ways to spend Mother's Day at home this year.

Plan a DIY Spa Day

Mother's Day is about being a mom, but it's also about taking care of yourself. We can't be the best parents if we don't give ourselves a break every now and again. Whether you have young kids or you're empty nesters, giving yourself a little TLC can be a rewarding, low-key way to spend the day. Luckily, you don't have to go to the spa to feel pampered; there are plenty of treatments you can re-create at home. 

First, enjoy a livestream yoga class from the comfort of your living room, then treat yourself to a facial with this at-home face steam. Soothe your skin with a relaxing homemade milk bath, then make your own eye mask with ingredients from your pantry! 

Take a Hike with Your Family

Feeling stressed or depleted? Hiking with your family is a great way to decompress, plus it has amazing benefits for kids. Exploring the outdoors can help build self-confidence in your children, as it gives them the opportunity to wander about freely (for the most part) and exert their individuality. It also promotes environmental awareness, not to mention— it's great exercise! 

Hiking is a goal-oriented physical activity, but at the same time it frees up your mind for open conversation, so it's great for bonding. Some of your best chats and most hilarious moments may be out in the wilderness. Not sure where to start? AllTrails has over 100,000 hiking trails around the world. You can also navigate and track your hikes with Gaia GPS, the original app for any outdoor adventure. 

Cook with the Kids

Looking for a fun activity for mommy and the kids this Mother's Day? Consider spending some time in the kitchen together! Even if you've been logging a lot of stove time lately, cooking is a fun hands-on experience and is super educational: Your kids will learn about counting, measurements, heating and cooling properties and basic kitchen safety. 

Cooking is also a great way to expand the repertoire of a picky eater — kids are more excited to try new foods when they've helped prepare them. Start simple with these No-Bake Cheerio Snack Bars, then work your way up to something more complex, like this kid-friendly Pappardelle with Leeks and Corn. For additional pointers, you can download Cook with Alexa on AllRecipes, which will provide step-by-step hands-free cooking instructions. This way, you can focus on what's most important — spending time with your kids. 

Spend Time with Each of Your Children 

Mother of six and self-taught cook @dianemorrisey says it best: A mother can divide her love among her children and each child still has her whole heart. If you have a big family, you know how important it is to spend one-on-one bonding time with each of your kids. On Mother's Day, you can spend an extra special hour with each of your children individually, while your partner entertains their siblings.

For younger kids, try reading their favorite books, going for a walk, playing dress up or working on an arts and crafts project together. If your kids are older, consider one-on-one card games, gardening, playing musical instruments or backyard Frisbee. Whatever the activity, you're showing each individual kid that they matter, instilling confidence and creating a stronger family bond.

Time for Movie Date Night

Sometimes all you want on Mother's Day is to share an adult meal with your partner, preferably one that doesn't involve macaroni or star-shaped meat. Luckily, you don't have to go any further than your living room for a romantic night in. All you have to do is decide what to watch. Cox On Demand has a huge library of movies to choose from, and there are a lot of new releases out right now. Simply say “New Releases" or “Indie Movies" into your Contour Voice Remote to browse your options.

Reserve Some Precious Alone Time

We all want to spend time with our kids and connect with significant others, but what about connecting with ourselves? Sometimes, the most luxurious thing to do as a mom is nothing at all. When was the last time you spent an hour alone in your own house? 

Consider asking your partner to take the kids out for an extended walk, then bask in the glory of having nowhere to be, nothing to do and no one to attend to but yours truly. Take the time to work on your own personal projects, take a long bubble bath, or simply sit on the couch and read a book. 

It really doesn't matter what you do, the point is you don't have to do anything at all. Whatever you choose to do — or not — have a great Mother's Day!