Why I’m Not Participating in No Mother’s Day
For starters, I already started to celebrate Mother’s Day–I sent flowers to my stepmother and mother-in-law.
Also, there’s this, from Catherine Connor of Her Bad Mother:
If we don’t all get Mother’s Day, why should I get Mother’s Day? If Mother’s Day isn’t for every mother, why should it be for any mother? We are all important. We all matter. Let this be for all of us, or for none of us.
It’s not that I disagree with the premise. Or, rather, with the premise-behind-the-premise. We should make prenatal health–and health during delivery itself–a priority for the mother as well as the baby. More mothers should survive pregnancy. that is absolutely true.
But I’m not sure that I agree with the concept of forgoing Mother’s Day because not everyone gets one. There are lots of things that not everyone gets. Do we get rid of all of them? Should I not have gone to college because not everyone gets to?
As for a campaign of silence–aren’t women silenced all too often as it is? I’d rather use my voice than forgo it.
I’m just not sure this makes a statement that people are going to hear, either literally or figuratively. And–this is a personal preference–I’d rather give money to an organization that directly provides that kind of care, or funds training for prenatal health specialists, rather than just building awareness. Awareness is important. But action actually gets things done. So instead of donating to Every Mother Counts, I’m giving to an organization that supports homeless mothers and families.
You may want to do something else. That’s fine. There are lots of ways to help. But No Mother’s Day isn’t the one that resonates with me. And I don’t even really have plans for Mother’s Day.
Tragic Sandwich 
I had never heard of No Mother’s Day but I admit I don’t plan not to celebrate. There are better ways to call to action than abstaining from celebrating. It looks like their website has ways for people to help so maybe this is just one of their ways to promote their campaign.
I’m all about not giving gifts and instead just having fun and celebrating mothers so I can appreciate their desire not to receive gifts or blow too much money. At the same time I don’t think keeping mum about mothers and downplaying the role we play in society is necessarily the best way to go about fighting poor prenatal care.
Agreed. I think staying silent lets people think you have nothing to say.