Mom’s Talk Q&A: Need a Meaningful Mother’s Day Memento

Q: Every Mother’s Day, my husband helps my kids (four- and six-years old) create a homemade heirloom (and I use the term loosely, but with love) for me to cherish. Last year they made a photo frame out of macaroni, and the year before they glazed and painted little bowls at a ceramic studio. Hubby asked me for ideas on a special souvenir they could make this year, but I’m stumped. What are your suggestions?

A: I’m so glad that your family has started such a wonderful tradition. I think that the most precious gift from a child is one they’ve made with their own two hands. Even better: if the gift appeals to one or more of your senses (sight, sound, touch, smell or taste) like the ones noted below, they’re bound to succeed.

Go Green (Whether Toddler or Tween): Planting a vegetable garden with your family on Mother’s Day can be a great way to create a memory while communing with nature. For a few great gift ideas, including the metal watering can (pictured) that your kids can paint, personalize with their own patterns and designs, and fill with seed packets check out the offerings from Crafter’s 4 Kid’s (www.crafters4kids.com). The non-profit company helps families in need and other nonprofit organizations with craft projects through-e-books, which pictorially show each step. The company’s caveat: crafts must be able to be completed in five minutes for less than five dollars.

Give Voice to Their Love for You: For only $9.99, Be There Bedtime Stories (www.betherebedtimestories.com) allows you to do a webcam recording of your child reading a story from a children’s e-book (that you select from over 200 available). Then the video recording is embedded into the children’s e-book allowing the recipient (that’s you, Mom) to see your child’s face, hear their voice and be able to read along with them. The recorded archived link can easily be sent to family and friends, and is a keepsake that your family can cherish and share for years to come.

Get Some Photo Mojo: What better gift is there than the gift of a beautiful photo of mother and child/children? Tears of Joy Photography (www.tearsofjoyphotography.com) (who provides many of the gorgeous photos that appear in this column) is offering a special 2011 Spring Joy mini session on Mother’s Day weekend for $200. The shoot will take place on May 7, at David Johnston Park in Tenafly. It includes a 30-minute mini session for up to six family members (so bring the grandparents), an online gallery of up to 10-15 retouched images, and a high-resolution CD of the images. Get in touch through the website to book your session.

A Bouquet to Make Your Day: The parenting advice website www.education.com offers a Mother’s Day resource center with lots of ideas for gifts. Here’s one of them: Although the scent of fresh flowers can make any Mom’s day, the sad truth is that most flowers are treated with polluting pesticides. Nip the problem in the bud, by telling your family you want them to give you organic flowers. You can find a local grower through www.localharvest.org/organic-flowers.jsp.

A Coupon (That’s Not From Groupon): Here’s a tip from the publisher Parenting Press (www.parentingpress.com): Get a coupon book from your kid. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just written out on index cards, hole-punched and strung together with a ribbon. Depending on his age it could include one for a hug when you’re sad, a week’s worth of no whining before bedtime, one hour to help weed the flower beds, or for older kids, a coupon for an activity that you don’t want (or know how) to do like create a playlist for your iPod, add memory to your PC, clean out your e-mail address book or set up a website or blog.

Baby Ballet Dance Lessons for Your Little Diva

Q: I would love to sign my daughter up for beginner ballet lessons. She’s almost two and half, so I’d prefer a mommy and me class, but I could be convinced to sign up for a class where I’m out of the room (but not out of the building). My main concern is that she be taught basic ballet moves, and not just be instructed to dance around freestyle.

A: I, too, am planning to sign my two year old up for some local mommy and me (or, more likely, mommy in another room enthusiastically observing) ballet classes in the fall around the time she starts pre-school. Here are a few that I’ve been considering:

Kidzmusik in Englewood, Guttenberg, (www.kidzmusik.com); offers Baby Ballet. Classes can be pro-rated.

Hudson Dance & Movement, Hoboken (www.hudsondanceandmovement.com; 201-683-4350). Next preschool eight-week session starts September 13.

Kidville, Hoboken (www.kidville.com/hoboken; 201-377-5495) offers a Ballet Tea Party class. Validated parking at the lot across the street. Next session starts May 9.

Professional Arts Academy, Edgewater, (www.professionalartsacademy.com; 917-697-5629).

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Editor’s note: If you have questions related to parenting, raising kids or just generally being a mom, feel free to submit them to the author at estellewriter@aol.com, like the author at http://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus or email the editor at erik.wander@patch.com. Your question might just be featured in a future column.