A lot of changes happen when you first move away for college, but no change is harder than being away from your mom (or a mom-figure, such as a grandma, an aunt or an older sister or cousin) for the first time. The biggest adjustment for me, I thought, would be trying to find ways to stay in touch with my best friend, but it turned into having a long-distance relationship with my mom, too. While it can be difficult to keep in touch, below are five different ways you can “date” your mom and get the most out of your time together. These dates can take place any time of year, whether during the summer or breaks if you attend school far away from your family, or on weekends if you can both meet halfway.
1. Grab brunch
Grabbing brunch on the weekend is a great way to squeeze in some extra quality time with your mom. Sunday brunch is one of the best times to catch up on all of the events from the week before and update each other on anything new that’s coming up. There’s no better time to ask for some highly coveted “mom advice” than over a heaping plate of comfort food! No one will give you better advice than your mom, and opportunities like this shouldn’t be missed.
2. Have a spa day
If you haven’t seen your mom in a while, try planning an entire day filled with gossip, food and luxury. Spa days are a great way to de-stress and share the juiciest news with the world’s best girlfriend: your mom. Try making an entire day out of it! Start with a light breakfast at a coffee shop, then head to a spa to get manicures and pedicures. Nothing screams “mother-daughter date” like getting your toes painted while flipping through magazines and sharing your favorite celebrity gossip. Don’t forget to end the day with lunch together in order to spend as much time as possible.
GIF courtesy of Giphy
3. Go shopping…
…and give each other makeovers! Head to the mall and give each other full control of the other’s outfit for the whole day. Head to toe, your mom is responsible for your outfit, and you’re responsible for hers. While it might seem terrifying to let your mom pick out an entire outfit for you and make you wear it all day, she might surprise you with her sense of style. Personally, I think making my mom step out of her style comfort zone is worth the risk of looking silly for a few hours.
4. Learn something new
Switch it up and spend the day going to museums or art galleries and learn something new with your mom. It’s a great way to spend some quality time while still doing something new and exciting.
5. Go on an adventure
Nothing will fill the hole of missing your mom better than going on an entire weekend getaway together. The adventure can be small, like a trip to the town next door that has that winery you’ve always wanted to visit, or large, like a girl’s trip to Nashville, TN for a weekend filled with country music. Big or small, the memories you’ll make will last a lifetime!
Whether your mom date is extravagant or simple, happens often or only once a year, the important thing is getting to spend quality time with the significant women in your life!
Rep image courtesy of Taylor Beck