>Do you know how Mother’s Day started? Well it might be surprising to find out that is was started in pre-Christian times in the UK. The modern day Mother’s Day that we all recognise, when mum’s are given cards, flowers and chocolates and other treats was believed to have started in the United States by Anna Jarvis.

Anna was the 9th child of 11 and made it her life’s work to commemorate every mother after her own mother died. The idea – like Mothering Sunday - was for families to get together in church to recognise the real value of motherhood. She campaigned for over a decade in the US and finally US President Woodrow Wilson officially dedicated a day to mothers in 1914 - the second Sunday in May in the US.

In Britain Mothering Sunday has been around since before Christian times, in fact it has been celebrated in the UK on the fourth Sunday in Lent since at least the 16th century. During the 18th and 19th Centuries, servants were often given the day off to visit their mothers. In Britain we send around 23 million cards, of which 30% are homemade. But within years it had become commercialised. Ms Jarvis was horrified. She tried to take action, incorporating herself as the Mother’s Day International Association and claiming copyright on the date. After years of campaigning and losing all her family money, she died in 1948 and failed to achieve her goal.

Despite failing, in some respects she did not, at least we continue to have a day that celebrates motherhood, but most of us celebrate in a way that would have offended Anna. Mother’s day is a day to “Say it with flowers” or other nice goodies, but it can and is often seen as a time to be pressured by advertisers to buy cards, flowers, and presents. Celebrating Mother’s Day is so much more than a bought card, present or flowers, it is a day
for our children to say “thank you” for being there, looking after us when we can’t ourselves and being what only a mum can be A MUM! The relationship between a mum and her child or children is very special.

Mum seems such a short word for such a massive role that is played in all our lives.

Why is Mothering Sunday on different dates each year?

Mothering Sunday is not a fixed day because it is always the middle Sunday in Lent (which lasts from Ash Wednesday to the day before Easter Sunday). This means that Mothers Day in the UK will fall on different dates each year and sometimes even fall in different months.

The History behind Mothering Sunday was also known as ‘Refreshment Sunday’
or ‘Mid-Lent Sunday’. It was often called Refreshment Sunday because the
fasting rules for Lent were relaxed, in honour of the ‘Feeding of the
Five Thousand’, a story in the Christian Bible. No one is absolutely certain
exactly how the idea of Mothering Sunday began. However, it is known that
on this day, about four hundred years ago, people made a point of visiting
their nearest big church (the Mother Church). Young girls and boys ‘in
service’ were only allowed one day to visit their family each year. This
was usually Mothering Sunday. Often the housekeeper or cook would allow
the maids to bake a cake to take home for their mother. Sometimes a gift
of eggs; or flowers from the garden was allowed. Flowers were traditional,
as the young girls and boys would have to walk home to their village,
and could gather them on their way home through the meadows.

Here is just an example of some of the “roles” a mum plays. As with
many women having children and becoming a mum changes so many things,
our priorities on what is important, a change of career and so much more.
The most changing role for me was how it affected ME, the loss of confidence,
self esteem and the feeling that we often get about “am I doing it right?”.

Have a look at the list and see if you recognise the extremely diverse,
capable and experienced person you are or will become. The roles of a
MUM 24 hours a day 7 days a week will bring you skills you never thought
you had or would ever experience.

Now you can enjoy these fab reads for mums…

• What era do your mothering skills come from? Take our fun Mother’s day quiz…
• “Give me 5 minutes peace!” How mums stay sane…
• Magnificent mothers – inspirational mothers that have caught our eye…
• What do children think of their mums? - members share their most touching compliments!
• What it means to be a mum
• I’m going to be a mum – a heartwarming adoption story by one of babyworld’s
  famous moderators!
• Am I a naughty mum because…
• How to make gifts for Mother’s Day
• Celebrity Mums and Single Celebrity Mums
• New Mum wins Midwifery Award – read a babyworld members story of success