Mother's Day: Treat her to a lie-in!

Sure chocolates are tasty, flowers are lovely and beautifully decorated cards are heart warming. But let’s be honest, all mums really want this Mothers Day is an extra hour in bed, snuggled up in a sea of duvet. We've compiled ten tips to enable you to make her dozing dream a reality (and to help you avoid turning it into a waking nightmare). We’re not suggesting you try and cram all these activities into one morning – just pick a few, and don’t get disappointed if the kids want to try something else!

As soon as you hear the kids are up and about, you need to be ready to move. No putting your head under the pillow, or pretending that you’re still asleep (come on, we’ve all done it), you’ve got to get up swiftly and take charge. The secret to giving your partner a good lie-in is not necessarily being quiet (though that helps) - it’s making her feel like everything is under control and that she doesn’t have to step in. Go to the kids, grab some clothes and get them dressed downstairs. Make sure they get their breakfast too – it’s going to be a busy morning,

Keeping the kids occupied is all about doing activities together, and making a den is a great way to start. There are a million ways to make a den, from throwing a bed sheet over a couple of chairs, to something more elaborate involving pegs and flaps and drawbridges and knots. Don’t forget, a den can be represent anything from a fairy cave to a spaceship to a local shop, but your kids will tell you what they want to make. Let them be the architect of their fun – you’re just the bricklayer.

Now you’re all huddled in your bed-sheet castle, it’s time to have some fun. Simple board games and puzzles can be a really absorbing way to spend some time. If you’re playing a game, let your kids pick what you play (as long as it’s appropriate), and make sure you explain the rules before you begin. If there’s any cheating, try to discuss why cheating is wrong and how it can annoy others. Most importantly, don’t be competitive yourself. Your aim is to be supportive and positive throughout, not to rub it in their face when you win (or to sulk if you lose!)

Books are not just for bedtime y’know. Reading stories can be more fun in the morning when the kids are alert. Or you can grab a bunch of toys and make something up. Remember, it doesn’t have to be a work of Shakespearian drama – just have some fun and be silly. Oh, and make sure you give all the characters different voices.

Kids love doing grown up things, so give them the opportunity to get involved with some of your chores. Whether it’s tidying up or letting them pair up socks and “fold” t-shirts while you sort the clean washing, you don’t need to be Mary Poppins to find ways to make helping fun. Don’t get too carried away and start stuffing them up chimneys though.

Bundling the kids out the house can be a great way to let mum have some alone time. When getting them ready to go out, remember that they feel the cold more than you, so as a rough rule of thumb, give them one more layer than you would wear. There are tons of places you can go – the park, woods, or just for a wander around the streets – you might be surprised to discover a few places that you didn’t even know existed. It might be fun to take some photos to show mum when you get home, or pick up some leaves, acorns or flowers to use in a picture when you get home.

The supermarket can be a good place to keep kids occupied – let them find food items on the shelves, count the tins out for you, or, if they’re younger, give them ‘important’ (i.e. unbreakable, unimportant) items to look after for you. You can also get mum some nice things for her breakfast.

The kids can help you unpack the shopping, or you can give them some glue, newspaper, and the nature bits you collected earlier and let them make a ‘collage’ (although it’ll more likely resemble a ‘mess’) for mum. Just let them have some fun and understand from the beginning that you’ll probably need to do a bit of tidying up after.

Mum might love some breakfast in bed, so make her some scrambled eggs on toast (or, y’know, anything she likes really). It’s super simple to make – just crack two eggs into a jug, add salt and pepper and a splash of milk, mix it all up with a fork (the kids can help with this bit) then dump it in a saucepan on a medium heat. Keep stirring until it looks like scrambled eggs and stick it over some toast. Then chuck it on a tray, add cup of tea and a flower/leaf/conker you found on your walk then take the whole lot up to mum with kids in tow. WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS BEFORE 11AM.

Finally, whatever you’ve done, make sure you tidy up – mum’s not going to want to have a lie in if the house looks like a dad-bomb’s hit it when she gets up. Put away everything you’ve used and clean the kids up before she gets up, that way she’ll be genuinely pleased and relaxed all day. Don’t do it for praise though, just for the satisfaction that you’ve given her a nice morning off. Also remember – lie-ins are for life and not just for Mothers Day – try to give her a break more than once a year, eh lads?

Jonathan Hamblin is the Editor of Dads Space at work and the Washer of The Dishes at home. He has surely seen more episodes of In The Night Garden than any other human being.

Illustrator Andrew Endersby has drawn cartoons for Select magazine and Raw. You can see more of his work by signing up to the Dads Space newsletter, or by checking out his website: http://ersby.blogspot.com/