For recently divorced or separated mums Mother’s Day might be an upsetting and poignant reminder that family life has undergone substantial upheaval and change.

Whenever and wherever it is celebrated across the globe, the day is important to highlight the importance of those who nurture children. This is something we champion at Jones Myers LLP, where we advocate that children’s best interests always come first.

In the countdown to Mother’s Day, here are some tips to help make the most of the occasion:

1.  Plan in advance, and talk to your ex. If they usually see the children on Sunday, ask them if you could swap arrangements for this week. A flexible parenting plan can go a long way to diffusing potential arguments over special days.
2. If you are with the children on that day – and your separation is recent – avoid pressurising them to celebrate, as they may need time to come to terms with the new arrangements. A more subtle way would be to do something on the day that you will all enjoy.
3. If you are not with your children on Mother’s Day, indulge yourself with something special to mark it – and remember the vital role you play. This could also include a group event with other single parents.
4. To make up for not spending the day with your children, create a ‘new’ mother’s day the next time you are together – the occasion does not have to be dictated by the official calendar date.

Irrespective of what day of the year it is, the best environment for parents to raise children is when both of them play a key role in their development – whether they are still living together or not. Our dedicated Children Department witnesses the immense value to children of maintaining a quality relationship with both parents.

That is why we advocate mediation, arbitration and collaborative family law to help couples achieve an amicable solution in the event of a relationship breakdown.

If you have any comments, queries or concerns on children, divorce or family law related issues, leave a comment below, call the team at Jones Myers on 0113 246 0055 or tweet us on @helpwithdivorce

The post How separated mums can avoid Mother’s Day blues appeared first on Jones Myers.

What does your mum mean to you? It is Mother’s Day in the UK this Sunday and over the coming months a similar event will be celebrated across the globe. It’s only right that we should dedicate a day to mums everywhere as they play such a vital part in the upbringing of children. (So do dads, of course – and we’ll be honouring the men of the house in a later post, near to their own celebratory day.)

Whenever and wherever it is celebrated, the point of Mother’s Day is to reflect on the importance of those who nurture children – something in which we believe wholeheartedly here at Jones Myers LLP.

There’s no doubt that the best environment in which children can be raised is a stable family with both parents playing a key role in their children’s development – whether they are still living together or not. That’s why we champion the role of mediation and collaborative family law to help couples achieve an amicable solution in the event of a relationship breakdown.

Through our dedicated children’s department we see first hand the immense value to children of maintaining a quality relationship with both parents.

So how did Mother’s Day start?

In Britain Mother’s Day dates back to the 1600s when it centred around a church service on the last day of Lent to celebrate the Virgin Mary, after which children presented gifts and flowers to their mothers. In later centuries it became the convention for employers to allow servants who worked away from their home to return to their mothers, and ‘mother churches’ on this Sunday.

The tradition was falling out of favour in Britain by the early 20^th Century, but was revived by the influence of American troops stationed here during the Second World War. America’s own Mother’s Day had been popularised by social campaigner Anna Jarvis to honour the role and influence of the nation’s mothers.

Many countries have since followed suit, adapting the event to suit their culture. In Sweden, for instance, Mother’s Day is in late May so that there are flowers for children to pick, and in Thailand Mother’s Day has been established on the birthday of Queen Sirikit (August 12) to celebrate the role of the royal family.

What will you be doing this Mother’s Day? Join our celebration and share a favourite memory about your mother in the comment box below.

The post Why we should celebrate mums every day of the year appeared first on Jones Myers.