What would your response be to this text?

Lovely. Looking forward to seeing you all. Are you organising the food?

Great! Bring the champagne and wine, and I'll get some M & S meals in. 😍 xx

Sounds like my DD 😂😂

Surely the family should be treating you to a meal out. You should not be cooking for the 5,000 who will be looking for a free lunch.

Please do not give in and suggest they take you out.

Who are the others?
If siblings and possibly their family - then yes that’s fine.
Not so sure if friends - unless they don’t have Mum/ family

Poppyred

Lovely. Looking forward to seeing you all. Are you organising the food?

Great! Looking forward to being spoiled for a change, while you do all the prep and cooking. What a lovely caring family I have!.

Wouldn’t it be nice just to have them all together?

Germanshepherdsmum

Wouldn’t it be nice just to have them all together?

I love when all my children are hear and enjoy looking after them.
However, it's not really in the spirit of Mother's Day to descend and expect you to run after and possibly feed them.
A bit thoughtless IMO.

Of course my children would never behave like that! 🤣

I have a lot of food allergies and intolerances which have been increasing lately so eating out is very stressful for me.

I do a buffet lunch for my family which is easy, and am just really happy for us to be together. They arrive with flowers and plants and other gifts, and I am not fussed about being taken out for lunch.

Tell me about it. I have forgotten the number of times that our family have arranged a party at my house but forgot to tell me or even asked if it was okay. I only threw a New Years party this January and no-one could take me to Marks and Spencers to pick up the food. I am 81 years of age and told them that this is the last time

If I went to their homes for meals all the time I would not mind but I go to one sons on Christmas day and the year after to our other sons on Christmas day so they don't actually put the welcome mat out for me.

It's really lovely to see them , but a lot of work for you .
As my father was house bound : my children would visit and I'd go to Waitrose , spend a fortune and then spend hours in the kitchen and ages clearing up .
It wouldn't be helped by my son sometimes being three or four hours late .
My father used to demand his lunch at the usual time and lose his temper .

I used to feel completely exhausted on Mother's Day .

Please suggest an alternative plan .

I would say the same as Poppyeyed, adding in reference to the M&S food - "It's Mum's day off!"

No.

"Lovely, we'll get a takeaway then".

Germanshepherdsmum

Wouldn’t it be nice just to have them all together?

It’s so rare nowadays to see them all together here, I’d happily cook for such an occasion. They cook for me often enough when I’m at theirs.

"Lovely. Are you ordering a takeaway or bringing the meal with you?"
Personally, what a cheek! The presence of their company is one huge treat for you, ignoring preparation, shopping, cooking and clearing up while they all sit around glowing with self-satisfaction.

Wouldn't mind at all as I know I'd have as much help as I wanted from OH beforehand and absolutely nothing to do once the meal was cooked. I'd make a big casserole the day before and do all the veg prep, buy a couple of nice puddings and put some champagne in the fridge to have with some smoked salmon blinis as a starter. I love to have friends and family in for meals, I just don't make heavy weather of it! Sadly one daughter is skiing on mother's day and the other has teenage children of her own and won't be able to come but I'll get flowers and a nice card.

I’m not driving or cooking - fracture. One of mine suggested they all come here for brunch late morning, they bring the food and load the dishwasher before going off to visit the other gran/mums
Yes please I said

Our DS has invited us round for lunch, but tactfully pointed out the football is on later in the afternoon…..

“You’re welcome to stay, but no doubt you’ll want to push off probably”.

Exactly.

It's better than the text my son sent me last Mother's Day which said 'why don't you die mother. The sooner you're dead the better as nobody will miss you'.

I’d reply, nice plan but I was actually planning on being out to a free lunch 🤣. My family would see the funny side and the hint.

I would laugh at their cheek, but would actually love it, as we don’t always get together en masse, with the gc now in their late teens/early twenties. I’d try not to make hard work of the meal, and probably cook a joint in the slow cooker, lots of vegetables and a couple of choices of pudding. Alternatively, you could ask them to muck in and bring a couple of dishes with them, to make it easier for you. I am a very undemanding mum, but my children often cook for me, as they love entertaining. Enjoy your day. 😊

'Lovely. What time are your flights due in?'😢

Cannot wait! What takeaway shall we have and don’t forget my card!