Many countries all over the world celebrate Mother’s Day. Although not all countries have chosen the same date to celebrate their Mother’s Day, children everywhere use this day to show how much they appreciate their mothers. Mother’s Day was celebrated in more than 40 countries around the world. Although the traditional role of mothers has changed in many countries over the years, the role of nurturing andcaring for families remains. While different countries celebrate and recognize their mothers in different ways, many traditions are similar. Flowers such as carnations and roses have been an important part of Mother’s Dayfor a very long time. As well, children of many different cultures give their mothers cards, chocolates, andpresents to show their love and appreciation. In some countries, children do the household chores for the day,prepare meals, serve their mothers breakfast in bed or take them to a restaurant for dinner. In many countries itis also the day of the year when millions of greeting cards are sent, the use of telephone lines is the greatest, andrestaurants are the busiest. No matter where one lives, Mother’s Day is the one day of the year when children,young and old, recognize and honor their mothers.
True or False
- Mother’s celebrated on the same day in all parts of the world:______________
- Mother don’t have the same traditional roles that they used to have:______________
- All Mother’s Day celebration are exactly the same everywhere:______________
- Greeting Card are part of Mother’s day celebrations:_________________
Listening Exercises: A Mother’s Love
Introduction
Blanca Alvarez and her husband risked crossing the border to immigrate into the U.S. and then struggled to make ends meet. They hoped to shelter their children from these harsh realities, but Blanca’s daughter Connie reveals how much children can really see of their parents’ lives—and the inspiration they draw from their struggles.
Vocabulary
- to immigrate, to struggle , to make ends meet, gardeners, night shift , candy dishes, snack , to put kids to bed, to go through a lot of things, to raise children, to neglect ,to finish college , to achieve dreams , icing on the cake
Ponder about and answer these questions before watching the video
- Do you recognize what parents do or have done for you?
- What is the best examples that you have seen in your parents lives?
Watch the video The Icing on the cake and think of these questions while watching it
- What were the first jobs that the family had when they arrived to the country?
- What is one of the memories that Connie had when her mom took her and her brother to work?
- What was the things that the family had to go through when arriving to the United States?
- What would Blanca had done different if she had the opportunity to raise her kids again?
- How was Blanca’s example an inspiration for Connie?
After watching the video and answering the questions
Write a short paragraph stating how your loved ones have served as an inspiration to achieve your goals.