Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Andrea. Andrea Wonders, “When was mothers day invented” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Andrea!

Who are the special women in your life? You might immediately think of your mother or grandmother. For many people, an aunt or family friend can also be a motherly figure. Others might find their minds jumping to their sisters or cousins.

Whoever your mother figure is, they likely look forward to the second Sunday in May! That’s the day Americans celebrate Mother’s Day. Humans have celebrated different versions of Mother’s Day for centuries. The American holiday was created in 1908 by Anna Jarvis, and President Woodrow Wilson made it an official national holiday in 1914.

Jarvis started the celebration as a way to honor her own mother, who died in 1905. To her dismay, Mother’s Day soon became a highly commercialized holiday. This was the opposite of what she had intended as a personal tribute to one’s mother. Jarvis even later opposed the very holiday she had helped to create. She argued that it should be removed from the calendar.

Today, Mother’s Day remains a very commercial holiday. It’s one of the biggest days of the year for flowers, greeting cards, and dining out. There’s certainly nothing wrong with treating your mother or motherly figure to a nice dinner. She might appreciate flowers and a beautiful card. But you can also keep the spirit of Jarvis’s vision for Mother’s Day alive! Do so by celebrating in a more personal way.

There are plenty of ways to honor your mother or motherly figure on Mother’s Day. Write her a handwritten note of thanks. Tell her in your own words how much she means to you. You can spend time celebrating your bond and exploring your unique relationship. You might be surprised by what you learn.

For example, have you ever tried to sneak a cookie before dinner? If so, you may have been caught red-handed by your mother or motherly figure. This can happen even when you thought she wasn’t paying any attention to you! How did she know? Does she have eyes in the back of her head?

She may try to convince you otherwise, but it’s highly doubtful. Moms don’t usually have an extra set of peepers tucked away in the back of their heads. Instead, it’s more likely that she just knows you all too well. She can anticipate what you will do . . . maybe even before you yourself know!

Many mothers will tell you that this special connection stretches beyond the ability to predict actions. They believe they possess something called “mother’s intuition.” This is insight or knowledge about their children that is separate from actual perception.

Mother’s intuition is often described as a “gut feeling.” Psychiatrists believe this “internal radar” begins at birth and perhaps even before. Many mothers who have followed their intuition have often learned they were correct. Sometimes, it can even help save their children from danger.

For example, 5-year-old Bella Flint’s mother sensed that Bella was very sick. Doctors didn’t believe her, but she kept insisting that they run more tests. Eventually, her mom was proved right. The doctors found a brain tumor and Bella’s life was saved.

Experts believe there are too many such stories for mother’s intuition to be a coincidence. Indeed, some experts argue that mothers should attempt to “tune in” to their intuition more often and follow their instincts when it comes to their children.

This is just further proof that it’s important to listen to your mother and motherly figures. Besides intuition, they bring a great deal of life experience to the table and often give good advice. So remember to celebrate these special women on Mother’s Day—and all year long!

Standards: CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.W.4, CCRA.W.7, CCRA.L.1, CCRA.L.2

Wonder What's Next?

You may want to stretch and do a few jumping jacks before returning to Wonderopolis tomorrow for a Wonder of the Day that promises to be quite a challenge!