Mother’s Day project at church

[momz]

Need creative ideas. We are going to highlight women across generations for a video compilation for Mother’s Day. Will have 2(ish) people from each age group for individual videos to then make a presentation to play on Mothers Day.

The age groups are
75 +
65 or retirement age
Mothers of young adults
Mothers of teenagers
Mothers if grade schoolers
Mothers of preschoolers
Mothers if babies

I need to have some prompts ready for them to respond to. This can be anything about their mother, or their experience being a mother…you get the picture.

What are some prompts I can use in these age groups to illicit some thoughtful comments from these ladies?

 

[Karin1984]

"What I have learned from my mother. Life lessons and practical things", like "be a good listener, and don't cook your vegetables longer than 15 minutes". You will see similarities and differences between age groups.

One thing to keep in mind: the women within your community who wanted to become mothers, but were unable to.

I was listening to a podcast the other day of a childless couple, due to medical issues they were unable to conceive. They avoid going to church on Mother's Day as it is too painful and communities sometimes overlook this group.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I was listening to a podcast the other day of a childless couple, due to medical issues they were unable to conceive. They avoid going to church on Mother's Day as it is too painful and communities sometimes overlook this group.

This is true for a surprising number of people we know. Also for the guys on Father's Day. Not just for those unable to conceive, but also for those who have recently lost parents.

OP, maybe include a category for women who have chosen to be foster moms, adoption moms, volunteer moms, shelter moms, etc. The joys and lessons learned from being a mom cover all kinds of categories.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

What about teenage moms, one parent family moms, families with 2 moms? Just using the age groups for categories limits the different types of moms that can be included or that people will have a connection to.

 

[SirDuff]

If you are asking people questions about their mothers, why do they have to children themselves? Why do they have to all be female, at all?

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

I need to have some prompts ready for them to respond to. This can be anything about their mother, or their experience being a mother…you get the picture.

What are some prompts I can use in these age groups to illicit some thoughtful comments from these ladies?

If you insist of just using the age group categories, these would be interesting to ask all of them.

Was there a social and or family expectation that you would have a child?
Was there a social and or family expectation that you had to be married and have a child instead of having a career or going to college?
Was there a social and or family expectation that you would not have a baby before getting married?
Was there a social and or family expectation that you would stop working and be a SAHM?
How involved was you SO during your pregnancy , the birth and first year of your babys life?
Did your SO attend the birth of their child?
Did you have peer group support during your pregnancy and first year of your childs life, as in other women your age not related to you.
Did you get any state financial support during your pregnancy and the first year of your childs life?
When you were pregnant, what health and wellness checks did you have?

 

[jo-jo]

Sounds like a big project. Let us know how it turns out, please.

 

[PollyannaMom]

What are some of your favorite memories with your own mom or of things you did with your kids at those ages?

What is your best advice to moms of kids in the age group just before yours?

 

[anniemae]

For the mothers of teens: What is the hardest thing about parenting this age group. (focus on the "Yes, it will get better" answers. This is a tough age group to parent,and at times it feels they hate you, they don't need you etc. But I hear they eventually come back to you.)

 

[momz]

You all have given some great suggestions. This is why I brought this idea here, to see what I am overlooking.

The reason I listed age groups is because a limiting factor is that this is supposed to be “multi-generational”, I think I forgot to include that in my original post.

Women who are not mothers will be included, as I would like to ask them something about their own mother. I could include men in this manner too.

The project is meant to be fun. It is meant to reveal the positive impacts that our collective mothers have made on individuals and broadly on our community.

 

[Uncle Coaster]

What about teenage moms, one parent family moms, families with 2 moms? Just using the age groups for categories limits the different types of moms that can be included or that people will have a connection to.

Wouldn’t all of those Moms fall into one of the age groups?

 

[ronandannette]

What about teenage moms, one parent family moms, families with 2 moms? Just using the age groups for categories limits the different types of moms that can be included or that people will have a connection to.

Going by age group does (or can) include any of the type of mom you mentioned.

 

[ronandannette]

If you insist of just using the age group categories, these would be interesting to ask all of them.

Was there a social and or family expectation that you would have a child?
Was there a social and or family expectation that you had to be married and have a child instead of having a career or going to college?
Was there a social and or family expectation that you would not have a baby before getting married?
Was there a social and or family expectation that you would stop working and be a SAHM?
How involved was you SO during your pregnancy , the birth and first year of your babys life?
Did your SO attend the birth of their child?
Did you have peer group support during your pregnancy and first year of your childs life, as in other women your age not related to you.
Did you get any state financial support during your pregnancy and the first year of your childs life?
When you were pregnant, what health and wellness checks did you have?

She’s not researching a Master’s thesis; just trying to make a touching little tribute video for Mother’s Day at church. None of this is on-point for that.

 

[Bethislucy]

Need creative ideas. We are going to highlight women across generations for a video compilation for Mother’s Day. Will have 2(ish) people from each age group for individual videos to then make a presentation to play on Mothers Day.

The age groups are
75 +
65 or retirement age
Mothers of young adults
Mothers of teenagers
Mothers if grade schoolers
Mothers of preschoolers
Mothers if babies

I need to have some prompts ready for them to respond to. This can be anything about their mother, or their experience being a mother…you get the picture.

What are some prompts I can use in these age groups to illicit some thoughtful comments from these ladies?

You all have given some great suggestions. This is why I brought this idea here, to see what I am overlooking.

The reason I listed age groups is because a limiting factor is that this is supposed to be “multi-generational”, I think I forgot to include that in my original post.

Women who are not mothers will be included, as I would like to ask them something about their own mother. I could include men in this manner too.

The project is meant to be fun. It is meant to reveal the positive impacts that our collective mothers have made on individuals and broadly on our community.

This is sweet project as a single lady that's been in the church my whole life I love that you are including women that aren't mothers either never married or unable to have children. Just another take on a question for them other than about their own mom is a question about who they are mothering I'm not sure what church you are a part of but in the Christian faith we would kind of call it spiritual mothering so the person that maybe you have discipled our mentored since we are always supposed to be encouraging the younger generation. Just an idea

 

[mumto3girls]

I would ask something lighthearted like —what always made your mom laugh or your funniest memory of your mom? What was your favorite meal she made? What were her favorite traditions?

 

[jdb in AZ]

Tell us something about mothering that gave you gray hair.

 

[QueenIsabella]

How was your mom's kitchen different from your kitchen? So many moms spend so much time in the kitchen! The older generation could mention ice boxes, while the younger ones "suffered" without a microwave when they were children...

 

[TwoMisfits]

You all have given some great suggestions. This is why I brought this idea here, to see what I am overlooking.

The reason I listed age groups is because a limiting factor is that this is supposed to be “multi-generational”, I think I forgot to include that in my original post.

Women who are not mothers will be included, as I would like to ask them something about their own mother. I could include men in this manner too.

The project is meant to be fun. It is meant to reveal the positive impacts that our collective mothers have made on individuals and broadly on our community.

Since it's going to be publicly shown and "forever", I'd avoid anything too embarrassing or depressing...
Since it's Church-related, I'd probably ask a question related to how your Church community has helped them on their path as moms...

 

[QueenIsabella]

What did your mom teach you that you still remember/enjoy? It could be anything from a love of gardening to how to crochet to resilience in the face of adversity.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Maybe a question that could be asked is if there was an event that changed them because you may be of a certain age but that doesn't mean someone younger than you hasn't experienced something big too. And someone who experienced an event that changed them 50 years ago may have a different viewpoint/outlook than someone in today's age. It's one way of getting how different generations dealt with and experienced things.

I think that could have some answers that may seem downers but it could also bring out faith-based answers which would be suitable for a church environment.

The one thing I do agree on that others touched on is in today's society we are more sensitive to perceptions related to children. Your primary focus is pretty much on women who have children just children of different age groups which is alienating and could be potentially hurtful. I'm assuming your 65+ and 75+ are still with the presumption that these women have had children. If it were me I would open it up to just a generic storytelling of how individuals are impacted by their mothers which can include more than just women and is less focused on someone having a child. You could still ask a question about an event that changed them and if more open about asking just how their mother impacted them could elicit responses about how their mother's advice, support, presence, etc affected them circling back to your "meant to reveal the positive impacts that our collective mothers have made on individuals and broadly on our community."