I got out of serving by going to a college with Военная кафедра [0], but I think we're saying pretty much the same thing -- USA and rest (or most, anyway) of the Western world has non-political Motrher's and Fatrher's day, completely separate from the International Women's Day (let alone Defender of the Fatherland day, which is obviously USSR-specific), while back in the USSR we had a generic women's/men's holidays tacked onto March 8th and Feb. 23rd respectively.

I don't remember them ever being even positioned as specifically Mother's/Father's day; I am sure that you have also given gifts to your female classmates even in elementary school on March 8th, and received some on Feb. 23rd, even though becoming a parent while in school was an extremely rare occurrence.

[0] For the benefit of those who did not have to deal with it, something similar to ROTC in the US, but available only in some colleges/universities, and mandatory in those where it were available. Instead of being drafted for 2/3 years upon hitting the draft age, you'd receive training there, spend some reasonably short time in the armed forces, and get a reserve officer's rank.