Mothering Sunday - with wings



Always treat your mum for she wears a Halo and Wings!

Celebrate Mothering Sunday—always and with wings it would seem!

 

Each year there seem to be more designated dates in the year, celebrating the weird and not always so wonderful occasions.  For example did you know that the 27th March was, according to one website the 'Quirky Country and Music Song Titles Day'?  Rolls off the tongue doesn't it - just like many of the quirky songs it seeks to honour!  You will I'm sure have guessed with such a title it is an American day of commemoration.  Many of these surreal celebrations do begin in America and then seem to make their way over here often because of the commercial gains - cards and gifts.  However, did you know that Mothering Sunday is a Christian festival and Mother's Day has its origins in America and it falls on a different day to ours too. Centuries ago Mothering Sunday referred to the day in which children (as young as 10 years old) returned to their 'Mother Church' having left home to work (typically this included work as domestic servants and apprentices).   Naturally this became a time of families reuniting and children were thought to have walked along picking flowers to take to church or give to their mothers.  Despite having no connection to the American 'Mother's Day' we have adopted this title and it has come to be about thanking our mums for all that they do.

 

I like the history of Mothering Sunday and the idea of families coming together again and I'm happy to call it Mother's day too, even if it isn't the correct British name.  I also like the idea of celebrating and thanking mums for all that they do for us (especially since I am a mum myself!).  Never-the-less it can still be a very commercial occasion and you will be hard-pushed to not have realised that the 30th March (this Sunday) is the date this year.  I was recently in my usual supermarket doing my weekly shop when I came across big, floral, pink and green signs reminding me to 'treat her this Mother's Day'.  I had to smile to myself when I looked at the shelves below the sign, which were stacked with sanitary products!  I tried to decide how this could fit in with the day and can only assume that husbands out with their children looking for gifts may need a subliminal message reminding them of how particularly taxing being a mum can be at certain times of the month.  This in turn will prompt him to buy the biggest and most extravagant present to ensure that she absolutely feels completely loved and appreciated, every day of every month, of every year.  The power of marketing is acting at a greater Machiavellian level than we may have realised but I may benefit this time so I will not question further!  Ultimately we know that retailers are after our custom and will go to all kinds of lengths to encourage us to part with our money - one such mother's day promotion went to the length of offering cut-price hair-cuts and treatments; entitled 'Mother's Day Madness'.  I have to question the word madness - is my hairdressing salon in cahoots with the supermarket and trying to appease stressed, hormonal women who are frankly mad?!  Ok, I'm sounding paranoid - sorry that's my hormones talking.  (I did get my hair-cut but I literally had been meaning to book an appointment - I promise).

 

So perhaps Mothering Sunday has become a little too commercialised but I can forgive this because joking aside, I don't take my role as a mum for granted and nor do I take for granted what my own mum has done for me and continues to do for me.  Of all the many days that could be celebrated, a day that celebrates the unselfish acts and sacrificial love of one human being towards one or more others without the motivation of what they might gain for themselves is a quality to be praised. However kindness begets kindness; as mums everywhere sow their unconditional, ceaseless love they reap gratitude from their off-spring (hopefully not on just one day a year) and this too is a quality to be valued and encouraged always, with wings if necessary!

 

Happy Mothering Sunday - may you feel loved and appreciated for the important, priceless and valuable job you do.

 

Me with my lovely children...

 

 

....and me with my lovely mum!



Talking statues, flying fighter aircraft and painting all over the table at Romford library!



Will, getting more than books from his visit to the library!

Our trip to the local library ended up being an Experience that augmented reality....

Inspiration for 'World Book Day'...
match the title to the author.

World book day is just around the corner, the day in which children are given the opportunity to attend school dressed as one of their favourite characters from a book.  The challenge is 1. finding a character that your child wants to be, 2. ensuring that you have the means/costume/accessories to re-create that character at home and 3. ideally the book where their hero or heroine of choice are featured to bring to school.  My son William and I came up with a protagonist that ticked two out of three of those boxes, but knew the hat-trick was achievable by visiting the library to borrow the book.  However, when we arrived at Romford Central Library on Saturday afternoon, William and I were in for an unexpected treat. 




Mathematical conundrum completed!

William found his book (phew) and was browsing the bookshelves for others that he wanted to borrow.  During this time I came across a table with a moving picture - it was essentially a giant touchscreen tablet table!  Will and I sought some explanation from one of the librarians who proceeded to take us on a guided tour of what the Inspyro table was capable of.  Up to four children can participate in this interactive screen at one time which encourages team work, problem solving and collective creativity.  



Perfect - painting at the library and no messy
children, brushes and pots to wash!

Children can engage in a number of activities ranging from 'painting' through to WW1 augmented reality (images come to life or are enhanced in someway to bring greater depth to learning and understanding).  It was a quiet afternoon and so we had this technological gem to ourselves.  The programme is primarily geared towards children at KS2, though clearly enjoyment comes to all who have a play from the young to a little bit older (like me!).  Mathematical games and challenges; matching books to their author; painting in a vast spectrum of colour with different effects and erasing using your hand are just some of the 'apps' alongside the showstopper: the aforementioned WW1 Augmented Reality app.  By inputing my library number into the Inspyro app that I'd downloaded onto my smart phone, I was able to place my phone over the image on the table and see statues and soldiers reciting poems and telling their story, a fighter plane flying across the table and the Cenotaph monument becoming three-dimensional - visible from all aspects through the rotation of my phone. William and I had a great time and we await with anticipation, the further developments that are planned over the coming months including amongst others a local history app for this dynamic, captivating, entertaining and of course educational state of the art gadget!


Images for the WW1 app taken from the Inspyro website

 

An abstract portrait - not sure that my budding artist , William
has quite captured the movement of my hair - what do you think?

 

I would without reservation recommend that you pop along to Romford central library and enjoy the 'table' with your children but be warned, if it's at a busy time, you will be limited to 15 minutes, unless you can choose a quiet time as we did.