Moms do a lot. And when we say a lot, we mean a lot. Between cooking, carpooling, cleaning, and caring for the kiddos, moms have more on their plate than most realize. In fact, Salary.com estimates that if a mom got paid for motherhood responsibilities like it was a job, she’d make six figures! And many moms work another job on top of that – just wow!
Considering all that our moms do for us, we should strive to put special thought into Mother’s Day. Moms are usually thoughtful planners for special events. So Mother’s Day is the perfect chance for the rest of the family to take the lead, make her feel special, and show Mom how much she’s appreciated!
In light of this, we’re dedicated to making all moms feel special on Mother’s Day and want to help you make yours feel special too! So, let’s get down to business – how can you make the mom(s) in your life feel special on Mother’s Day?
How to Make Your Mom Feel Special on Mother’s Day
A survey found that 38% of mothers have been disappointed by their family not doing enough for Mother’s Day. That number is way too high! Moms do a ton for their families without many opportunities for breaks. So let’s make her special day really memorable with some simple gestures.
Make a handwritten card.
Grabbing a Mother’s Day card is probably one of the easiest gifts you can prepare. It’s really inexpensive, available everywhere, and appropriate for any maternal figure in your life. But simply opening the card and signing will make the card feel thoughtless and last minute, which won’t make Mom feel very special.
Taking time to handwrite a genuinely thoughtful message inside that card is what will turn it from a throwaway obligation gift to a cherished memento that your mom will keep forever. And it doesn’t have to be poetic. Start by just expressing how you feel about her. Then, thank her for the things she does that you appreciate — especially the little things she probably thinks you’ve never noticed. Finally, shower her with compliments! End it with “I love you,” and your card will become a treasured keepsake.
Buy her flowers.
This is a classic Mother’s Day gift, but it’s a good one! Surveys show that next to personalized cards, flowers are the second most sought-after gift on Mother’s Day. Traditionally, carnations are the signature flower of this special day: red carnations for living mothers and white carnations for those who were no longer with us. Since then, giving flowers of any type has become a tradition for many on Mother’s Day!
Let her get some sleep.
Mother’s Day gifts don’t have to be expensive or tedious. Mom might just want some sleep, especially if she’s in the thick of parenting younger littles. Chances are it’s the moms in the house that get up in the middle of the night with the baby, wake when the kids get up in the morning, and stay up late to do housework and other duties. Where’s the time to sleep?
Giving a mom in your life the chance to sleep late or catch an afternoon nap is a great way to show her love this Mother’s Day. And if she is a mom to a new baby, taking the night shift will be even more appreciated!
Plan a family activity. You plan it. (As in, NOT her.)
If the mom in your life loves to get out of the house and do things, planning a family activity is a great way to spend the day. But here’s the catch: In order for it to be for mom, she can’t plan any of it. Planning is hard work, and moms do a lot of it! They often deal with decision fatigue from picking meals, outfits, routines, and everything else in a day – they don’t want another afternoon full of behind-the-scenes tasks.
If you really want to celebrate mom, plan a family outing that she can simply enjoy. Have everything packed, logistics figured out, and timeline set before you even tell her what you’re doing. She’ll treasure a Mother’s Day like this for years to come.
Give her a day off from doing her least favorite tasks.
A great way to treat your mom to a blissful Mother’s Day is to keep her from doing some of her least favorite things. When we surveyed mothers, many of them said they’d love a day free of dishes, laundry, or (I bet you could guess this one) poopy diapers! Think of her least favorite chore and take that off her plate for the day.
Send her off on a hotel getaway. (Even if it’s just for the night).
93% of moms last year said they are currently experiencing burnout or have experienced burnout in the past. Unfortunately, feeling overwhelmed and stressed is not uncommon in motherhood. We know moms love their lives, families, and, of course, their kids, but the dependency is exhausting after a while. Especially without a break!
If you have a mother in your life experiencing burnout, treat her to a Mother’s Day alone. Book her a hotel where she can order room service, watch TV, take a warm bath, and just relax! This gesture will not only be appreciated, but help Mom recharge before jumping back into the usual routine!
Get creative with gift cards.
Gift cards are sometimes thought of as an impersonal gift. But gift cards can be the perfect Mother’s Day gift with a little more thought! Start with something mom enjoys, like self-care treatments. Then, purchase the related gift cards. Maybe you get her a mani-pedi gift card and a massage pass. But, along with that in a special card, note that she gets one free spa day—kid free!
You could also do Barnes and Noble and Starbucks gift cards for a relaxing afternoon reading and drinking her favorite iced coffee. A shopping trip, a picnic and hike at a national park, or even a girl’s day out with her friends are all great picks to turn a gift card into a thoughtful mommy vacation pass!
Make a day free of decisions.
Like we talked about earlier, moms make a lot of decisions in a day. It’s estimated that the average person makes 35,000 decisions a day. And we guess a mom makes a few thousand more than that! This can result in decision fatigue that manifests through stress, impatience, and general unhappiness.
Giving Mom a day free from any choices will show her how much you appreciate her and it will help her recharge for the weeks ahead. This one requires the kids’ participation as well. If they’ve got a question, it goes to you! Mom is off the hook.
Acknowledge all the work she does every day.
This is so simple, but it’s something the moms in your life desperately want: acknowledgement. There are so many little things Mom does that make a big impact on the family. Driving kids to and from school, activities, and appointments. Meal planning, shopping, and cooking. Feedings, diaper changes, and tantrum management. Keeping track of who needs new shoes or who has a school project due on Friday. SO MANY THINGS.
Tell Mom everything you see her doing. Thank her for each thing. Encourage the children to express what they see Mom doing every day, too. This can have such an emotional and lasting impact on the mom in your life. And, it’s so easy! (Bonus tip: Don’t wait for Mother’s Day to do this. Make gratitude for Mom a daily household priority.)
Thoughtfully buy a gift from a specialty shop.
Yes, Mom probably loves Target. She would probably be quite happy with a gift from Target, too. But, something that could be really special is finding a gift on Etsy or a local specialty shop. These places will have unique gifts that are carefully crafted, often handmade, and/or personalized. Gifts from speciality shops can also take a while to arrive and involve planning ahead, which shows intentionality and thoughtfulness!
Plus, if you don’t usually shop at these stores, they’ll know you spent time carefully considering the present in front of them. At one of these fun shops, find something personalized for mom or something related to her interests.
Complete a house project for her.
Does the mom in your life have a “honey do” list? Does she often express frustration about some of these projects not being complete? If so, completing a house improvement task is the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Send her out of the house for the day (maybe with that mani/pedi gift card you got her?) and come back to a freshly painted room, an organized pantry, or that new window installed. (You know, the one that’s been sitting in the garage for months?) Help her check a home project off her list this Mother’s Day.
Invest in something she cares about.
Think about some things Mom loves. Dancing? Yoga? True crime? Baking? The Bachelor? If there is something she’s really interested in that you’re not, engage in that hobby. Even if it’s just for the day, try to invest your time into that thing she loves.
Maybe you go to a murder mystery dinner or a swing dancing event. You could bake and decorate cupcakes just for fun. You could grab all of her favorite snacks and sit through that new episode of her favorite TV show or podcast. This gesture is great for anyone whose love language is quality time, making it the perfect Mother’s Day celebration.
Make Mother’s Day special with thoughtful gifts, meaningful quality time, intentional excursions, or simply a day off.
Mother’s Day is just around the corner and the moms in your life deserve a day where they feel special, appreciated, and recharged. With just a little thought and planning, you can show Mom just how much she means to you. And the best part is it doesn’t have to be big or pricey, just intentional. After reading through our list, how will you make Mom feel special this Mother’s Day? Let us know below! For more motherhood content and all the best tips and tricks for busy moms, check out our blog or follow us on Instagram – welcome to the Safe in the Seat community!