By Jamie Bosse
In most households, the lady of the house is in charge of remembering birthdays, holidays, and other events that require planning and gift-giving. On holidays where she is to be on the receiving end of the gifting, she may get an “I owe you” or be the “victim” of a hasty last minute decision. I polled mothers of various ages on what they would like to receive this Mother’s Day and their responses ranged from a stylish diaper bag, a single-serve coffee maker, a day without laundry or cooking, to simply “time” – time for themselves, time to do something fun, time to rest. Here were the prevalent themes:
Sleep – The #1 response had to do with catching up on some ZZZZ’s. Moms want time to take a nap, sleep in, or simply get 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. There is a catch though – in order for mom to be willing to take a siesta, you have to take some tasks off of her never-ending to-do list so that she doesn’t feel guilty for taking that overdue snooze.
Photo Gifts – Moms LOVE cute, professional pictures of their children and family. Sadly, husbands and children do not always cooperate on this initiative and/or they only comply after a significant amount of grumbling, making the overall experience less enjoyable. Suck it up, wear the matching oxfords, and smile like you mean it! Maybe surprise her with a backyard photo session on the date of her choosing.
Brunch – Who doesn’t love brunch, especially when you can dine outside? Give Mom a break from the kitchen and take her to a fun brunch spot. Be mindful of the timing, as these places fill up fast on the weekends. To be safe, you should make a reservation at least a week ahead of time.
A Babysitter – Even if she doesn’t leave the house, having a couple of hours to do whatever she wants is great for her sanity. Offer to babysit (or coordinate a sitter) so that she can run errands, shop, organize, meditate, workout, meet up with the girls, go on a date, or do whatever she wants to do.
A Clean House – It is difficult (and by difficult, I mean impossible) to keep a house clean, especially when children, dogs, and males of any age reside in said house. Engage the other household members in a cleaning day while Mom is out enjoying one of the fun activities listed in this article. Do a serious deep clean –I’m talking windows, toilets, baseboards, the works. Better yet, engage a cleaning service that knows what they’re doing so that you don’t end up making a bigger mess. Maybe purchase a monthly “subscription” to a cleaning service for a few months or once a quarter to help keep the house in order.
Keepsake Jewelry – Many moms said that they would like a simple, classic piece of jewelry with their children’s initials on it. Check websites like Pinterest or Etsy to get ideas. Trick of the trade –the best way to collect valuable intel on the Mom in your life is to “follow” her on Pinterest. That way, you will see everything on Pinterest that has caught her eye and really choose a gift that suits her.
Peace and Primping – Moms tend to be busy people who put their needs and wants after everyone else’s. Treat her to a trip to the nail salon, a full-body massage (Note – if the mom in your life is currently nursing an infant, this might not be very comfortable), or a facial. She will have some time to relax and will come out feeling like a new woman! Side note – whatever you do, never complain about how expensive these experiences are in her presence.
A Blowout – If you are not familiar with this term, it basically means that you go to a salon and have someone wash and style your hair for you. Have you ever noticed that the Mom in your life is much happier after getting her hair freshly styled? This is because it always looks better when she leaves the salon and she can NEVER get it to look that way on her own. Plus, it is super relaxing to have someone wash your hair while you read gossip magazines and sip white wine. This is also a thoughtful bonus on the day of the photo session listed above.
Recognition and Quality Time – By this I simply mean recognition of all that she does for the family. Being a mom can be a thankless job at times, so let her know that you appreciate all that she does and make her feel special! Gather the gang and treat her to a family outing that you are all excited to participate in and that she did not have to plan.
To all of the husbands, partners, and kids out there, this is all you need to wow the mom in your life… you’re welcome!
If you would like help planning for your family’s future, schedule a meeting by clicking below, contact Jamie Bosse –jbosse@makinglifecount.com, or call (913) 345-1881.
Photo credit: planetchopstick / Source / CC BY-ND