B y the time Mother's Day is done, Katy Sparks is likely to be presented with flowers and chocolate and a handmade card from her son. "Luke takes his father's lead," says Sparks. "It's like a romance!"
There are hundreds of ways to brighten Mom's day, from breakfast in bed to pipe-cleaner-and-paper flowers and watercolor gardens. Here are a few of our favorites.
Preschoolers: A handprint on a trivet or an apron makes the mundane irreplaceable. Be sure to date it. Mom will look back at that little pawprint for years.
Grade-schoolers: Write a poem to your mother and have it framed or laminatedan "I love you" from a nine-year-old should last forever.
Teenagers: Do something with your mother: Ride a bike, go for a hike, ask her to tell you what she was like when she was youngin other words, pay attention to her today.
Grown-up kids: If you can't be with Mom, treat her to a spa, send her your famous pesto or pound cake, e-mail photos of her grandkids, but above all, call her and let her know how special she is.