One time on Usenet, "jmcquown" > said:

<snip>

> Now, also OT: Happy Mother's Day to all who fit that description

Thank you! I had a wonderful morning with a handcrafted candy dish
from DS (he's 7), roses from DH, and homemade waffles with no clean
up by me!

> Also a
> minor rant: As one who is not a mom and never will be, I find it a tad
> annoying to be wished a "Happy Mother's Day" by people in the hospitality
> industry (read: servers, cashiers, etc.) who have no idea whether or not I
> have children. Actually, that doesn't bother me so much as it may bother
> those who are desperately hoping to have children but have for years found
> they haven't been able to and have undergone extensive fertility treatments.
> Nor to who are on long waiting lists to adopt.
>
> It seems to me this practice of wishing women who appear to be above a
> certain age a "Happy Mother's Day" isn't necessarily good customer service.
> It could actually be hurtful to some people.

I see your point, but while many people don't have children, just
about everyone has had a mother at some point in their life. Maybe
that's part of it. Then again, it's mostly just fake courtesty, so
there's probably not that much thought behind it...

--
Jani in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~
"The ships hung in the sky in much the same
way that bricks don't" - D. Adams, HGTTG