Gift for Mom....herself.

September 27, 2005 10:33 AM

Help me find a gift for my 55 yr. old mother that will help her begin to wonder of her own thoughts and wishes, and think that just maybe she could be a force of her very own in this world.

I would like to find a magazine or something similar that is simple, very accessible (not intimidating), and visually appealing. Ultimately, the magazine would get my mother thinking about VERY BASIC social, economical, and political issues women face today in terms she would understand or mostly understand, in addition to helping her learn English without her feeling like she's doing homework. It should appeal to a 50-something woman who likes to garden and likes beautiful things (home decor, clothes, flowers, etc.), but who's attention needs to be won away from cooking, cleaning, errands, bills, etc. When she has a moment, she enjoys watching or reading true stories (biographies, or non-fiction dramas)-- feel-good stories that are inspiring and spiritually uplifting. I imagine this magazine to be something like the magazines geared toward empowering young girls translated in style and context for a woman of 55. It should be fun and beautiful.

The reason I thought of a magazine was because it feels like a leisure activity, and because its incremental/ serial format makes any educational effect unfold gradually and gently. I don't want to make her feel badly about her life, but I do want to encourage her to think about the possibility that there can be more.

My mother has had a challenging life and has gradually forgotten parts of her identity that lie outside of wife and mother. I feel that more confidence in her English language skills and general feeling of awareness of the world around her would help her begin to wonder of her own thoughts and wishes, and think that just maybe she could be a force of her very own in this world.

Other gift ideas that you think I should look into are very welcome. Thank you Mefiers.

posted by anonymous to human relations (5 comments total)

I think More magazine would be a good fit for her. The tagline says they celebrate women 40+.

And I think it's sweet of you to be so concerned about your mother.
posted by Serena at 10:47 AM on September 27, 2005

I think Oprah does the older-female empowerment thing well. And I don't think she's off-putting to women who are of different social and economic classes because she has spanned quite a few herself.
posted by xo at 11:09 AM on September 27, 2005

I second O, the Oprah magazine. I think it's almost exactly what you're looking for.
posted by MsMolly at 11:21 AM on September 27, 2005

Both More and Oprah sound like what you're looking for. My grandmother and mother really like More.
posted by Melinika at 3:00 PM on September 27, 2005

Where is your mother from, how long has she been in the country, and how good is here English?
posted by BigBrownBear at 2:55 AM on October 4, 2005