By Lewis Humphries

In 2011, insurance company Insure reported that the unpaid work of mothers in the U.S. boasted a financial value of $61,436. This not only offers a great deal of insight into the selfless work that mothers across the nation undertake on behalf of their families, but also goes a long way to vindicating the vast sums of money that are spent on them every single year. Mother's Day alone generated $14.88 billion of expenditure in 2010, which was not only a sizable sum given the depressed nature of the economy, but also accounted for 6.5% of total holiday spend in the U.S.

By Sara Elliot


Mother's Day gives kids everywhere an opportunity to show their appreciation for the nurturing influences in their lives. This special holiday is a tribute as well as a celebration, and there are many ways to make it memorable with unique touches and homemade gifts.
 

Kid Friendly Mother's Day Craft Ideas

Mom's love to receive hand crafted gifts. These projects are designed with kids in mind:

Make a card. Almost any mom would appreciate a card made with construction paper, crayons and glitter. It's an old fashioned gift but one sure to earn a place in mom's memory box or scrapbook. As a touching memento, write a short letter to include with the card that lists the top five (10 or 20) reasons you think mom is so special.

Decorate a flower pot. If mom is a gardener, she'd probably be delighted with a few decorated terra cotta pots for a sunny window sill or deck railing. Use acrylic paints to apply flower motifs to unglazed pots. Three or four inch pots are small enough for younger kids to handle easily. Once the pots have cured, fill them with soil and mom's favorite spring annual plant varieties.

Add fresh flowers. Moms love breakfast in bed, and nothing decorates a tray better than a small vase filled with a flower or two.

CLEVELAND, OH - Every day is a great day to celebrate mom, but Mother’s Day at the Zoo is the only one that offers half-price admission!