“But there's a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because her's is where your's begin.” ― Mitch Albom, For One More Day
Our theme for this week's Cognitive Stimulation Therapy session is 'Mothers Day', which is on Sunday 10th March. Ask members who have mothers or mothers-in-law still living and which female members are/or were mothers and/or grandmothers.
Asked members to tell a story about their mother or grandmother, or about being a mum or grandma.
Ask members if they were to be given a bunch of flowers or a box of chocolates (or both, if you're lucky!), what would their favourite flowers and chocolates would be?
(As I've mentioned previously, it's important to know a little about your members' lives in order to avoid provoking distressing memories and to have co-facilitators in case someone does become upset and is in need of one-to-one support. Also, people need to feel able not to participate in any given discussion. Bear in mind recent bereavements!)
Discussion Point
The Radford family, who live in Morecombe Lancs, have 22 children. Sue is aged 47. Her eldest child is 34 (she had him when she was just 14). She and her husband run a baking ("bun in the oven") company and live on £50k earnings a year. They take no state benefits.
Ask the group for comments...
Do they have siblings?
What are the benefits of being an only child versus coming from a large family?
What are the positive and negative aspects of parenting?
Teach Your Children - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQOaUnSmJr8 'Woodstock' was the other song on this double A sided single. What year was that festival?
AUG 15-18, 1969, HELD IN BETHEL, NEW YORK
IDIOMS Next we completed the following phrases about mothers and grandmothers. (Clues in brackets) Mothering - SUNDAY (Mother's Day) A face only a mother could - LOVE (A not very good looking child?) Mummy's - BOY (A boy over-dependent on his mother) Mother - HEN (A mother who rules the roost) Learn something at your mother’s - KNEE (Mum's have a lot to teach us!) Be tied to (one’s) mother’s apron - STRINGS (A mother who doesn't easily let their child grow up)
Empty nest - SYNDROME (When the children have moved away from home) Expectant - MOTHER (A pregnant mother to be) Experience is the mother of - WISDOM (Life is full of valuable lessons) Necessity is the mother of all - INVENTION (We develop things we need, eventually!)
The apple didn't fall far from the - TREE (We are more like our parents than we realise) Failure is the mother of - SUCCESS (Keep on trying) Mother - NATURE (Nature) Mother - TONGUE (First language) Keep - MUM (Keep quiet) Mum's the - WORD (Keep a secret) Shall I be - MOTHER? (People often say this when they pour a cup of tea for family or friends) Like mother, like - DAUGHTER (We are often more like our parents than we realise) A mother has eyes in the back of her - HEAD (She has to watch over the children!) Don't teach your grandmother to suck - EGGS (She is older and wiser)
MUSIC & PICTURE QUIZ Next ask members to identify these images and ask the associated questions.
ROUND 1. Famous Mothers & Children
1. Name the famous mother and daughter?
2. Name the famous mother and daughter?
3. Name the famous mother and son?
4. Name the famous father and the missing mother? What are their nicknames?
Name the children for extra points?
5. Name the famous mother and father?
Which rock group was he lead singer with?
6. Name the famous mother and father?
Where was he born?
7. Name the famous mother and father?
And their children?
8. Name the famous mother and grandmother?
What was the name of their other daughter/sister?
9. Name the famous mother and father?
Name the famous daughter (she went on to be married to Michael Jackson, for a short time!)?
10. Who played the mother and older son in 'The Partridge Family'?
TV theme song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eppvYcmuQmw
11. SONG. 'We Are Family', Sister Sledge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyGY2NfYpeE
True or False. The group was made up of 4 sisters?
ROUND 2. TV & Film
12. What Welsh valleys TV show is this?
What is the Welsh for Mother?
13. Name the TV show?
Name these two actors?
14. Name the TV show?
Who played the mother?
15. Name the TV show?
Who played the mother and her accident prone husband?
Ask members to do their best "Oo Betty!"
16. Name the TV show?
Who starred as the mother?
17. Name the TV show?
Who plays the lead character?
18. Name the TV show?
What was the mother's name? And the eldest son?
19. Name the TV show?
What was the name of the family?
20. Name the TV show?
Who were the children that said 'Good Night' to each other at the end of each show?
Here is the TV theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpmRcP8S7Bo
21. What were the names of the mother and father in 'The Royale Family'? Which TV soap did they star in together before?
22. SONG. 'The Family Of Man', The Spinners - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_yjNLtmcG0
What is the hobby or pursuit of finding about your family tree called?
(Has anyone every done this?)
ROUND 3. Film
23. What is the name of the 1987 comedy film starring Billy Crystal and Danny DeVito based on the Hitchcock thriller 'Strangers On A Train'?
24. In which film biopic was actress Joan Crawford begged 'No more wire hangers!'
25. In which Hitchcock thriller did the murderer say "Mother's not quite herself today"?
26. Which horror film monster wrapped in bandages came from Egypt?
27. Which 1970 movie starred Bernard Cribbins as Alberts Perks, a railway station keeper who helped the children's mother to keep afloat when their father was arrested?
28. What 1994 movie featured the phrase "Mama always said life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get!"
29. In which 1979 movie is there a computer named 'Mother'?
30. Which Disney character had a Fairy Godmother?
31. What is the name of the mother with blue hair in 'The Simpsons'?
32. SONG. 'Mamma Mia', Abba - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unfzfe8f9NI
Who played the mother in the 2008 film 'Mamma Mia'?
ROUND 4. General Knowledge
33. Which TV sitcom character always thought of his mother-in-law as being a hippopotamus?
34. What alcoholic drink is known as 'Mother's Ruin'?
35. How does the nursery rhyme 'Old Mother Hubbard' go (say it together)? Old Mother Hubbard Went to the cupboard, To give the poor dog a bone; But when she came there The cupboard was bare, And so the poor dog had none.
36. Which fictional mother was so bad at coping with her brood that "she gave them some broth without any bread, she whipped them all soundly and put them to bed"?
37. Which children's fairy tale has the main character saying, "My Grandma, what big teeth you have!"
38. What is the proper name for 'Mother Of Pearl' and where would you find it?
39. What do you call a female goat?
40. Which almond cake is traditionally made for 'Mothering Sunday'?
41. Which flower signifies 'Mother's Day'?
42. Who was the Mother Of Christ?
(Optional)
Can anyone remember the words of the prayer 'Hail Mary'? (We have several members of the Catholic faith in our group.)
"Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen."
43. SONG. 'Let It Be', The Beatles - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHrJ1hke7CU
For which charity was a celebrity cover of this song recorded in 1987?
The master tape of this song was recorded on 31st January 1969. Does anyone know which other Beatles hit was recorded on the same day?
Here it is - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d5ST3tbPIU
EXTRA SONGS (Ask members to choose one or two)
'Mama', The Spice Girls - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsNbhwSXDB8
Name The Spice Girls?
SPORTY, POSH, GINGER, SCARY & BABY (Melanie Chisholm, Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell, Melanie Brown & Emma Bunton)
'He's Got The Whole World In His Hands', The Bachelors - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amAin0937QI. .
Name the six continents in the world?
AFRICA, AMERICA, ANTARTICA, ASIA, AUSTRALIA & EUROPE
(Note that all start and end with the same vowel)
'Bohemian Rhapsody', Queen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ
How many weeks was this song top of the UK Singles Chart?
9 WEEKS, SELLING A MILLION COPIES BY JANUARY 1976 (It was Number 1 again for 5 weeks in 1991 after Freddie Mercury died.)
'Knees Up Mother Brown', Mrs Mills - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVE0r-XNtdE
This song dates back to at least 1918 and was widely sung in London on Armistice Night at the end of the First World War. What date is Armistice Day remembered on?
NOVEMBER 11TH (Remembrance Sunday)
'There's No One Quite Like Grandma', St Winnifred's School Choir - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5TVKhjEVtQ
What is the Welsh translation of Grandmother?
MAMGU OR NAIN
'Our House', Madness - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwIe_sjKeAY
Who is the lead singer of Madness?
SUGGS (Graham McPherson)
'Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me', Lena Zavaroni - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWe7gImXAoE
In what year did Lena Zavaroni win 'Opportunity Knocks' with this song?
1974
'Mother Of Mine', Neil Reid - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fc4wewtsxQ
Wo was the host of 'Opportunity Knocks'?
HUGHIE GREEN
PRACTICAL ACTIVITY Make origami roses with the group.
Pinterest.com
Or make a floral arrangement using a bunch of flowers and oasis. Perhaps then award this as a prize for best origami rose, or anything else you wish!
ANSWERS
1. Debbie Reynolds & Carrie Fisher
2. Judy Garland & Liza Minelli
3. Judy & Andy Murray
4. David Beckham & Victoria Adams (AKA Posh & Becks) / Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz & Harper
5. Sharon & Ozzy Osbourne / 'Black Sabbath'
6. Michelle & Barack Obama / Hawaii
7. Harry Windsor & Meghan Markle / Archie & Lillibet
8. Queen Mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon & Queen Elizabeth Windsor / Margaret
9. Elvis & Priscilla Presley / Lisa Marie
10. Shirley Jones & David Cassidy
11. True
12. 'High Hopes' / Mam Or Fam (Mamau/Famau)
13. 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum' / Don Estelle & Windsor Davies
14. 'Butterflies' / Wendy Craig
15. 'Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em' / Michelle Dotrice & Michael Crawford
16. 'Bread' / Jean Boht (The family was the Boswells)
17. 'Mrs Brown's Boys' / Brendan O'Carroll
18. 'Dallas' / Miss Ellie & J.R. Ewing
19. 'Little House On The Prairie' / The Ingles Family
20. 'The Waltons' / John Boy, Jason, Mary Ellen, Erin, Ben, Jim Bob & Elizabeth
21. Barbara & Jim (Played by Sue Townsend & Ricky Tomlinson of 'Brookside' fame)
22. Genealogy
23. 'Throw Momma From The Train'
24. 'Mommie Dearest'
25. 'Psycho'
26. 'The Mummy' (Boris Karloff starred in the original 1932 version)
27. 'The Railway Children'
28. 'Forrest Gump'
29. 'Alien' (Sigourney Weaver starred in the series)
30. Cinderella
31. Marge
32. Meryl Streep
33. Reginald Perrin
34. Gin
35. ....
36. 'The Old Mother Who Lived In A Shoe'
37. 'Little Red Riding Hood'
38. Nacre. You would find it on the inner lining of some molluscs, including Pearl Oysters
39. Nanny
40. Simnel Cake
41. White Carnation
42. Mary
43. 'Ferry Aid' (The Zeebrugge Disaster)
'The Long And Winding Road'
