When raising a bicultural family, I think it’s inevitable for both cultures to collide, but I see it as a blessing and part of the joys and challenges of having bicultural children. I think the best we can do as parents of bicultural children is to embrace the uniqueness of our mixed family and instill pride in our children in their mixed heritages!

You made a great point when you wrote that it doesn’t matter that it doesn’t come from your husband. I actually told mine that (after the initial disappointment). I do feel that right now it’s his responsibility to make sure she knows and he “teaches” her why it’s a special date. Yes, she will get it from school, but it should also be a special moment of complicity between father and daughter. Don’t you think?
I might totally be over-thinking all of it! I tend to do that

I am from Venezuela and found your article very interesting. You know that for a long time I always thought that everybody else in the world celebrated Mother’s day on the second Sunday of May, like we do in Venezuela. I thought it was a universal day, like say Christmas day, or Valentine’s day.

That was until I moved to the UK, and accidentally discovered that they celebrate Mother’s day here some time in March or even April. I’m not really sure what the rule for the date is. There were lots of card on the shops, ads on TV for presents to buy for the mothers, etc. That’s how I noticed the first time (I wasn’t a mother yet). And then what happened was that when the real Mother’s day came I totally forgot to congratulate my mother because I didn’t have any of the cues to remind me of it (no cards on the shops for the mothers during May, no ads for buying presents, nothing on the news, etc).

I’m actually very surprised to find out that in Mexico and El Salvador, Mother’s day is always on May 10th. I didn’t know that! Well, at least both of your Mother’s days are in May.

I find it really strange having to celebrate Mother’s day in March-April and not during May, like if it’s not real; but I have to say it was a nice surprise to discover a hand made Mother’s day card in my son’s bag that he made at nursery. It was written in English (which feels even more strange), but that was because he is only two and doesn’t know how to write so the teacher helped him.
I didn’t get anything from my husband, but it didn’t bother me. It’s Mother’s day, and my son made my day

My husband STRONGLY dislikes being told by anyone he HAS to do something, moreover feels that since I’m not HIS mother he’s not obligated– and I don’t really disagree with that logic. I will say, in all fairness, he has sometimes bought me flowers on the date of Mexican mothers’ day. We will see if he did this year, when we all get home this afternoon. I’m not holding my breath.

Mother’s Day is a lot like Valentine’s Day. It’s too easy to hang ourselves up by comparing to what other people are doing. Somebody does have kids or a husband who does this, or that, or the other thing. But those kids are not my kids and that guy is not my guy… the one who never lets me carry anything over 1 pound… the one who never refuses to help anyone, anyone in need… who was playing soccer with our son in the hallway IN THE HOUSE just before bedtime last night screaming GOOOOOOOOOOL…

Being a bicultural family gives us an opportunity to be– maybe forces us to be– explicit about what pieces of our holiday traditions are essential to feeling happy and loved. Man oh man, we have sure had some arguments about Christmas!!! I decided it doesn’t have to be logical, it just has to be what the person feels. Sometimes we only notice something is essential when it doesn’t happen!!!
And something amazing happened… some things I earlier thought were essential, when brought out to the light of day (a specific conversation about what exactly would / could be done), turned out not to be so important.

I decided Sunday, American mother’s day, was my day to do whatever I decided to do. Without thinking about inconveniencing anybody, or what they wanted to do. The hubby who doesn’t feel obligated can therefore be ditched for the day without guilt. Hey, there’s a taco truck on the corner. I even budgeted some cash for myself, for this. The beauty of my plan was that if my daughter had not shown up, I could have taken my son to buy a cool toy of some kind to occupy him, get a mani/pedi, take him to some kind of vegetarian hippy-ish restaurant my hubby would find annoying, maybe go the the playground at the park, and still call it a successful day. Just enjoy the pleasures.

For Mexican mother’s day today, I got a gift for my sister-in-law. She’s my son’s “segunda mama” who has been taking care of him while I work, since he was 8 weeks old.

My hubby made me a wonderful breakfast Sunday morning and my kiddos woke me up by shouting, “Happy Mother’s Day” and gave me a cute homemade card and some Nike flip-flops for our upcoming vacation. Let me tell you that NOT all my Mother’s Day’s were like this…My hubby has been well trained. LOL! It takes communication and tons of hints. I’m sure your hubby heard you loud and clear and will be prepared NEXT year. Have a wonderful day today!

Oh, and as far as celebrating today (Día de las Madres) in our home – I haven’t tried to educate my hubby or kids on that. I figure I better not push it