You don't have to celebrate Mother's Day on Mother's Day - perfectly appropriate to celebrate later in the week or the following weekend. I would fly and not necessarily dash back - enjoy time with your mom and celebrate with your husband and sons later.

Go alone, go to the shower, spend mother's day with your mom. Your kids and dh could do something with you later.

Or,all of you drive there and get a hotel room and make it a break.

Anonymous wrote:I have a bridal shower in my hometown in May. Shower is the day before mother's day.

1. I could fly up by myself: leave Friday, fly home after the shower Saturday. I'll be home with my husband and sons on Sunday for mother's day. Leave the kids (age 2.5 and 15 months) with my husband. Will cost about $270 and that's a big expense for us.

2. We all drive to my hometown (6 hour drive). Cons are that we all sleep very poorly there, and driving 6 hours with my boys isn't really fun. We would celebrate mother's day there with my mom and us. Pros are that it won't cost $270.

Do you consider mother's day with your mom a plus or a minus?

If you go alone, could you do something with your mother before you return?

Mother's day isn't a holiday that means anything to me. I'd be happy to celebrate with the kids another weekend, and then enjoy the day with mom. So, I vote for either fly or drive by yourself, and think about staying Sunday.

This is one of these stupid things where i don't understand why a grown woman doesn't grow a spine. What do YOU want to do that weekend? You want to go to your friend's shower. Go to the shower, either by car or plane (i think the cost is probably the same, by the time you pay for gas etc) and enjoy time with your mom and away from your family as a mother's day treat to yourself. This seems like a no brainer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd drive by myself. Flying is such a hassle most of the time and in my experience more likely to have delays when flying than when driving. I like the freedom of driving (not bound by airlines' schedules, primarily). I wouldn't take your kids because that's just too much trouble with kids those ages unless this is family you don't see often.

It doesn’t make sense for me to drive myself. If I’m driving, I don’t really have an excuse to not bring them. If I chose to fly, it’s my “out” for not bringing the kids. I know it could take longer overall and it is expensive, but I would be alone and that in and of itself would be nice.

This makes NO sense. You do not need an excuse to travel alone.

Must be nice to have parents that don't hassle you about this kind of thing!

Oh, they tried it. They gave up eventually when I didn’t reward that behavior.

^Sorry for the double post!

Anonymous wrote:Is mother's day important to you for some reason? I'd just celebrate that another weekend.

+1 Mother's Day happens every year & can easily be celebrated a week early or a week late. The bridal shower is a one time event that is only happening on that specific date.

Unless you really can't take the time off from work or your husband can't take time off of work & there is absolutely nobody else who could watch your kids the extra day(s), why not go alone for a long weekend (3 or 4 days)? That would probably make the cost of the plane ticket seem more worth it. You would have extra time to spend with your own mom (& any other family or friends who live nearby) while you are there & could celebrate an early or belated Mother's Day with your DH & kids the weekend before or after without having to deal with kids who are tired from not sleeping well the night before, worrying about making the long car trip home afterwards, or being tired yourself from having just flown to your hometown & back again --with a bridal shower & visit with your mom/other family in between -- all in the space of a day. Taking care of everything kid-related for a few days while you get a few days free from the responsibilities of motherhood to just enjoy the baby shower, spending Mother's Day with your mom, & visiting with family/friends in your hometown could be part of your DH's Mother's Day gift to you!

If you know your mother would love to see her grandkids for Mother’s Day, I’d take the whole family and put up with all the other inconveniences for the weekend. Or maybe your DH can spring for a nice hotel as your Mother’s Day gift to make it more comfortable for everyone.