NEVER BEAN BETTER DAY

If you’ve waited for a Never Bean Better Day to enjoy the unconditional love of your canine companion, August 22nd is the day! Just like our ever-joyful pets, the day casts away the worries and spreads enthusiasm for life.

The celebration encourages both the spirit of generosity and sharing the joys of life with delight. Go out into the world with your family pet and plant the bean of love everywhere you go. Share it generously, like dogs do when they take care of us when we are sick or down. They give us all their love with abandon in the forms of licks and snuggles. Sometimes our furry friends do tricks and antics only canines know how to do. Other times, they even perform their own love song or woo woo. Every day should be a Never Bean Better Day to share all the love your dog stores up!

NEVER BEAN BETTER DAY HISTORY

The Drager Group, Inc. founded Never Bean Better Day to recognize the unconditional love dogs bring to human lives. The observance honors the birth of a special therapy dog, Bean, who eagerly spreads his Bean wuv everywhere he goes. Bean improves the lives of those who need it most. Visit NeverBeanBetter.com to learn more about Bean and his many talents, canine and not so canine.

Explore More…

HOW TO OBSERVE #NeverBeanBetterDay

In recognition of the celebration, share the Bean wuv. Fetch up some fun and make a difference like Bean, a very special therapy dog, does every day in providing comfort and joy to so many through his physical and virtual presence. Help someone by sharing your time, talent or treasure or just by making someone’s day by getting them to play … human or canine!

Follow Bean’s tail on Facebook at Never Bean Better @neverbeanbetterwoo, Instagram, and Twitter. Be sure to spread the Bean wuv by using the #NeverBeanBetterDay and @neverbeanbetter to share your never bean better moments on social media. Get out and fetch up some fun! Make every day a Never Bean Better day!

Celebrating Dad: Father’s Day 2026

Mark your calendars: Father’s Day 2026 falls on Sunday, June 21st. While Mother’s Day had an earlier official start, the journey to honor dads is a fascinating story of determination, love, and a little bit of stubbornness. The modern celebration owes its existence to Sonora Smart Dodd, who was raised by a single father in Washington state. After hearing a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909, she argued that fathers deserved equal recognition. The first official Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, but it took decades—and a push from President Richard Nixon—to finally make it a permanent national holiday in 1972. Unlike the flowers and frills of May, Father’s Day was born from a quiet, rugged appreciation for the men who show up every single day.

The Qualities That Define Great Fathers
What makes a dad truly memorable? While every father is unique, certain timeless qualities rise to the top. First is steadfastness—the ability to be a calm anchor in a stormy world. Great fathers also embody selflessness, often putting their family’s needs quietly ahead of their own, from working late shifts to giving up the last slice of pizza. Another key trait is guidance, not through lectures, but through showing integrity, resilience, and humor in everyday life. Finally, the best dads offer unconditional support; they are the ones in the bleachers, at the graduation, or on the other end of the phone at 2 AM. These qualities don’t require perfection—just presence.

The 14th is the third Sunday in June 2026, plan  a full day for something special. Start with a classic breakfast in bed (or at the kitchen table) featuring his favorites—bacon, pancakes, and strong coffee. Because 2026 is also a World Cup year (the tournament runs through mid-July), consider planning an afternoon viewing party for a match, complete with his preferred snacks and a cold drink. If sports aren’t his thing, organize a no-fuss BBQ or backyard fire pit where the whole family can gather. The key is to remove stress: handle the cooking, cleanup, and logistics so he can simply relax and enjoy the company.

Meaningful Gifts That Go Beyond Another Tie
This year, think about gifts that align with his hobbies or create future memories. For the handyman dad, a customized tool organizer or a high-quality multi-tool is both practical and thoughtful. For the foodie father, a subscription to a gourmet spice or hot sauce club keeps giving long after June 14th. However, the most impactful gifts are often experiences: book a half-day fishing trip, buy tickets to a local car show, or simply give a handwritten letter detailing your favorite memories together. Research shows that experiential gifts and personal notes are remembered far longer than any store-bought gadget.

Don’t Forget the Long-Distance Dad
If you can’t be there in person on June 14, 2026, technology makes distance feel smaller. Schedule a coordinated video call where everyone logs in at the same time for a virtual toast. Consider using a meal delivery service to send his favorite restaurant dinner right to his door, then eat “together” over video. Another creative idea is a digital photo frame you can update remotely with new family pictures throughout the day. Even a simple, well-timed text or voice memo saying “I was thinking of you” can mean the world to a dad who misses you.

Final Thoughts: Celebrating the Everyday Hero
Father’s Day isn’t about grand gestures or expensive presents. It’s about pausing to recognize the man who taught you how to ride a bike, fix a leaky faucet, or laugh at your own mistakes. As you prepare for June 14, 2026, remember that the best celebration mirrors the best fathers: genuine, warm, and a little bit playful. Whether you’re grilling burgers, watching a soccer match, or simply sitting on the porch together, your attention and gratitude are the real gifts. So go ahead—mark your calendar, pick up the phone, and tell him exactly why he matters. He’s earned it.

Share your favorite memory, pictures and more to social media.  Use #Father’sDay to show how much you appreciate him to the world.

MOTHER’S DAY 2025

Mother’s Day is a time-honored tradition of recognizing the women in our lives who raised us, dried our tears, and well, mothered us. Everyone has one or has someone who is like a mother to them. On the second Sunday of May, we honor those women who are our mothers. Whether we shower her with gifts, take her to a fancy dinner or make her a homemade card, what moms want most is to be surrounded by the love of her family. Knowing the people they love are safe, sound, and healthy is a mom’s number one priority.

MOTHER’S DAY HISTORY

Mother’s Day has been celebrated around the world since, well, since motherhood. In the United States, Julia Ward Howe inspired the first movement toward a national observance during the Civil War. Appealing to the public for a “Mother’s Day for Peace” after witnessing the devastation left by war, Howe went on an international crusade. While her efforts never gained formal recognition for an official observance, she was acknowledged posthumously in 1988 for her achievements and her efforts for women’s rights.

In 1905, Anna Jarvis, the daughter of Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis successfully introduced the idea for a national holiday recognizing mothers. Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis had followed Howe’s campaign and had pursued her own volunteer efforts during the Civil War. Ann Marie died on May 9, 1905, and her daughter, Anna, missed her mother greatly. She started a dedicated letter-writing campaign to declare an official Mother’s Day. Through Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, the first observance occurred on May 10, 1908.

This day, to honor Anna Jarvis’s mother, grew into a national observance until in 1911 when every state participated. Soon it was spreading internationally, and on May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother’s Day a national holiday to be held on the second Sunday of May.

HOW TO OBSERVE MOTHER’S DAY

Pay tribute to your mother this holiday. Surround her with the love she deserves and shower her with the affection and attention you know she wants. For those of us whose moms are no longer with us, spend some time remembering the woman you miss. Visit with those who remember her and honor her memory. If you’re a mom, revel in the attention. You deserve it!

Remember to put mom first on Mother’s Day and use #MothersDay to share on social media.

NATIONAL BIRTH MOTHER’S DAY

Join and earn

National Birth Mother’s Day on the Saturday before Mother’s Day honors birth mothers offers a show of support. May 10, 2025 is a day to recognize the biological mothers of adopted children.

My Fairy Birthmother: A Keepsake Storybook for Birthmothers, Adopted Children & Their Families Hardcover – June 1, 2018

by Mary Huron Hunter  (Author), Avery Hunter (Author)
My Fairy Birthmother: A Keepsake Storybook for Birthmothers, Adopted Children & Their Families

by Mary Huron Hunter  (Author), Avery Hunter (Author)

Each birth mother’s experience is personal. While the day originated as a day of solidarity, education, and compassion, it has evolved and may be received with a mixture of emotions. It may also be viewed as a celebration of the life a birth mother has brought into the world and has chosen to share with another family. Children of adoption may even also participate in the day, celebrating their birth mothers and the life they gave them. 

The Book of Answers from your Birth Mother: A guided journal for Birthmothers to share thier life story by Ms. Jenny Lynn Delaney (2010-09-26) Mass
The Book of Answers from your Birth Mother: A guided journal for Birthmothers to share thier life story by Ms. Jenny Lynn Delaney

While my parents celebrated a long life together, not everyone has that background. I’ve had lots of close friends who have searched and are still looking for their birth mothers. While we may not understand their reasons it is important to know this was the best choice available at the time.

If you were adopted you should remember that you’re new family chose you. If that’s not your story it doesn’t have to change who you want to be. We all have the choice of who we want to be. It’s defined, not by your past but the shape you want to make your future. If you don’t know it or someone forgot to tell you, every one of us is special and can do great things with your life.

Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World Hardcover – April 4, 2017

by Admiral William H. McRaven (Author)
Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World

by Admiral William H. McRaven (Author)

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalBirthMothersDay

On this day, learn about the adoption process. Understand that each birth mother comes to adoptions for different and very personal reasons. Families and birth mothers will experience this day differently from family to family. For some, it may be a quiet and solemn day spent bonding with other birth mothers. For others, the adoptive families and children may spend the day celebrating birth mothers with cards and gifts similar to Mother’s Day. 

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards ~ Soren Kierkegaard

Use #NationalBirthMothersDay to share on social media. 

NATIONAL BIRTH MOTHER’S DAY HISTORY

Mary Jean Wolch-Marsh established National Birth Mother’s Day in 1990 to show support for birth mothers like herself.

More Family Conversation

Celebrating Mom in May

May arrives with longer days, blooming flowers, and a gentle reminder to pause and celebrate the women who shape our lives from the shadows of selflessness. While we often honor mothers with greeting cards and brunch reservations, the true essence of “Mom” lies not in a single Sunday, but in the quiet, relentless rhythm of family life.

A mother—or the mother figure who steps into that role—is the family’s emotional architect. She is the one who remembers the school permission slips, the pediatrician appointments, and which child is afraid of the dark. She tracks not just birthdays, but the subtle shifts in mood: the slumped shoulders after a tough day, the fidgeting that signals worry, the sudden silence that means something is wrong.

At dawn, she is often the first to rise. Not out of obligation, but out of love’s habit. She brews coffee while packing lunches, writes a sticky-note joke for a child’s lunchbox, and somehow knows exactly when to offer a hug or simply sit in companionable quiet. By mid-morning, she may be a mediator of sibling squabbles, a cheerleader for a failed math quiz, or a translator between a teenager’s grunts and a partner’s confusion.

As the sun arcs higher, the mom figure becomes the family’s logistical mastermind. She juggles carpools, extracurricular schedules, grocery lists, and the invisible labor of maintaining a home—changing sheets, restocking bandages, remembering whose turn it is to take out the trash. Often, she holds a paid job outside the home, adding professional deadlines to the emotional and domestic ones.

But her role goes far beyond tasks. A mother is the family’s historian and storyteller. She keeps the photo albums (digital or physical), reminds everyone where the baby lost their first tooth, and repeats the funny stories until they become legend. She is also the family’s soft landing place—the one who says, “It’s okay to cry,” and means it. When a child fails, she doesn’t lecture; she listens. When a partner struggles, she doesn’t fix; she holds space.

Grandmothers, aunts, stepmothers, foster mothers, and chosen moms—the women who mother without the title—perform this same alchemy. They show up to recitals without being asked. They keep a spare key and a listening ear. They knit blankets for newborns and offer wisdom wrapped in patience. In families where a biological mother is absent, these figures fill the void with fierce, tender consistency.

Yet for all they give, mothers often carry a quiet weight: the guilt of not doing enough, the exhaustion of invisible work, the loneliness of being the default parent. They downplay their own needs—skipping the doctor’s appointment, eating the cold meal, staying up late to sew a costume or edit a resume. And still, they show up again the next morning.

So this May, let’s celebrate differently. Yes, bring the flowers and the brunch. But also notice the small things: the way she folds laundry while listening to a child’s story, the gentle firmness when she sets a boundary, the laughter that breaks through a chaotic evening. Thank the mom figures who aren’t blood but chose to love anyway. Give her an afternoon of silence, a handwritten letter, or simply the words, “I see you. I see all of it.”

Because in the end, what mothers and mother figures do is nothing less than this: they make a house feel like home, and they teach us, things like how to use a spoon. By their very presence, we see what unconditional love looks like in action. And that is worth celebrating—not just in May, but every single day.