Curate Your Mother/Daughter Bucket List (Before It's Too Late)
Curate Your Mother/Daughter Bucket List (Before It's Too Late)
This is a sensitive topic as every woman's relationship with her mother/mother figure is different and unique. Some relationships are deep and loving, while others are strained, making it impossible to bond and connect with their mothers in a caring, nurturing, and tender way. I would never attempt to tell someone else "how to do their relationship with their mother." One must sort out these personal matters and make peace with their decisions.
What I can share with you (from my perspective of having a nurturing and loving relationship with my mother) is we had 40+ loving years together, and there were so many things we were planning to do that was cut short by her unexpected death. We had barely scratched the surface with our Mother/Daughter Bucklist - I was still building it. We were planning our 1st solo mother/daughter trip for my birthday, but sadly, she died before we could take the journey.
Before it's too late, consider curating a Mother/Daughter Bucket List if you're open to it. Collaborate on this list with your mother; more than anything, take the time to implement it. Build the memories, schedule the trips, and take the pictures because life is about building up your memory bank of experiences. You don't want to be in a position looking over your mom's casket thinking if only you had taken time off from work or had only taken that trip with your mom instead of that 5th trip to Jamaica with your travel club!
Below is a list of 11 suggestions to get you started as you curate your Mother/Daughter Bucket List (before it's too late).
1. Have Heart-to-Heart Conversations: Take the time to have deep and meaningful conversations with your mom. Share your dreams, fears, and life experiences. Listen to her stories and advice, creating a bond beyond the surface level.
2. Go on a Mother-Daughter Trip: Plan a memorable trip together. Explore a new city, relax on a beach, or embark on an adventure that allows for quality time and shared memories.
3. Cook and Share Family Recipes: Spend a day in the kitchen with your mom, cooking and sharing family recipes. Learn her secrets, techniques, and the stories behind each dish. This will create culinary memories and connect you to your family's heritage.
4. Create a Scrapbook or Memory Box: Gather photographs, mementos, and handwritten notes to create a scrapbook or memory box. Capture precious moments and memories together, preserving them for a lifetime.
5. Take a Walk Down Memory Lane: Visit places that are sentimental to both of you. It could be your childhood home, a park you used to frequent, or any place that evokes nostalgic memories. Reminisce and share stories as you revisit these cherished locations.
6. Share a Hobby or Passion: Discover and engage in a hobby or activity you and your mom enjoy. It could be painting, gardening, knitting, or anything that allows you to bond and create something beautiful together.
7. Write Letters of Gratitude: Write heartfelt letters to express your love and gratitude to your mom. Share how she has impacted your life, the lessons she has taught you, and the qualities you admire in her. These letters will become treasured keepsakes.
8. Have a Spa Day: Treat yourselves to relaxing and pampering at a spa. Enjoy massages, facials, or other treatments that allow you to unwind and indulge in self-care together.
9. Take a Mother-Daughter Class: Enroll in a class or workshop that interests both of you. It could be a cooking class, a dance lesson, or a craft workshop. Learning and exploring new things together strengthens your bond.
10. Be Present: Sometimes, the most meaningful moments are the simplest ones. Spend quality time with your mom, simply being present and enjoying each other's company. It could be a cozy evening at home, sharing laughter, watching movies, or having tea together.
11. Take Professional Mother/Daughter Photos: Once she's gone, photos are all you'll have left. There's something magical about seeing pictures that include you and your mom. I rarely see group family pictures like we used to, and if we do, they rarely include the grandparents. Do the photoshoot and cherish the moments forever.
Remember, the most important thing is to approach these activities with love, empathy, and a genuine desire to create lasting memories with your mom.
Each experience will be unique and reflect the special bond you share. Cherish the time you have and make the most of every moment together.
Kinyatta E. Gray writes about grief and loss, and is the founder of The Heart of Miss Bee, Inc, Flights In Stilettos, and InHer Bliss Life Coaching. Gray has design and released over 20 guided and blank journals for women, teens and men.