Happy Mother's Day mamas! Tired of feeling like it's yet another commercialized thing to participate in? Here's an option for you!

This year's theme for taking back Mother's Day from Mothers Acting Up is Mother Leadership. "Children's wellbeing is at the top of every mother's agenda. It's time to bring it to the top of our political agendas." For information about the Mother's Day Parades and to find out if there's one in your area, visit the Mothers Acting Up website at MothersActingUp.

What's all this about Mothers Acting Up? From their history, "The Mother’s Acting Up movement was officially launched on Mother's Day 2002, reclaiming it as the day Julia Ward Howe originally envisioned in 1870: a day set aside for mothers to unite for the wellbeing of our global family. After purchasing all the hot glue guns in town, the first Reclaiming Mother's Day parade was held with banners, flags and truly over-the-top hats & costumes. Over 100 people, some walking on stilts, celebrated mothers as a powerful political force to protect the rights and wellbeing of children all over the world."

Mothers Acting Up has many resources on how you can get involved & get your voice & opinions heard effectively. To be informed is great, but to be powerful, you must put information into action. Some of their recommendations include:

• How and why to contact our local, state/regional & federal lawmakers, including how to plan a field trip to visit Members of Congress or "head honchos" of corporations;

• Plan a parade or event to raise awareness while having joyful fun;
• How to give presentations.

Also worth mentioning is the "recipe" for stilts. Why stilts? Well, it's hard to argue with them:

Walking on stilts TRANSFORMS your idea of who you are and what you can do in this lifetime; waste no time in making some and getting up on them. Stilts are the perfect symbol for MAU because: #1. You’re never so visible as when you are on stilts — and advocating for children entails getting visible, and #2. You can’t stand still on stilts. Literally. And once you start acting on your beliefs, you can’t stop. Walking on stilts also creates a MEDIA EVENT out of a simple public action. Frankly, we can’t say enough good things about stilt walking!

Parades? Field trips? Stilts? Helping the world be a better place? Good times!

Susan Presley wears many hats, including mother, executive producer of HipMama.com & Mamaphonic, and a bunch of other hats as well. She wishes all the mamas a very happy Mother's Day!