What Does Mom Want for Mother’s Day?
As a Mother of two kids, I probably could have written about this without anyone else’s input, but I wanted to poll the Mothers in my friends and family. What would they say when asked how they would ideally like to spend Mother’s Day? I was surprised at how similar and yet different the answers were.
1. She does not want to do chores- this is likely an obvious one, but one thing that was reiterated over and over by many women was that SOMEONE would do the tasks, just not her. This would make it so they wouldn’t be waiting for her to do when Mother’s Day ends. I think this is often forgotten. If you’re giving Mom a “day off,” make sure you know what she would usually be doing and do those things; that way she doesn’t have to do them later otherwise, you’re just giving her delayed work and not a day off.
2. She might not want to spend it with the family. It’s crucial to ask Mom how SHE would like to spend the day because it might not be how you might think. Some moms said they preferred to have a spa day, pedicure, or a day shopping out-of-town rather than spending it with the kids. If Mom’s answer is spending the day relaxing at a spa or shopping to unwind, she also wants to know that everything is going to be OK while she is away, so don’t call her every 10 minutes to ask her where your left shoe is or if she can pick you up more deodorant, let her relax.
3. She doesn’t want to schedule stuff-If she has to make a reservation, find a babysitter, or schedule the pedicure appointment, it’s less of a treat, so if it’s taken care of, it just makes it perfect. Personally I have a tough time using gift cards for massages, pedicures, a car detail or things like that because, by the time I get around to scheduling the appointment, I forget about the gift card, so I’ve told my husband to go ahead and schedule the appointment for me. Then I’ll use it right away, and I don’t have to worry about scheduling the appointment, win/win!
4. Don’t forget to make time for YOUR mom too- I’d be willing to bet if you asked your mom what her ideal Mother’s Day entails, it would just be spending time with her adult children (and perhaps grandchildren if that applies). All the moms I talked to with adult kids said they want to see their adult children or as many of them as they can on Mother’s Day.
5. Eat as a family: Mom wants to eat all together for at least one meal. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, making the meal together or going out, she likes to eat it as a family, so sit down, break bread, and enjoy each other’s company.
6. Warm weather, flowers, and nature- I am bundling this together because, let’s remember, it’s spring, the weather is warmer, the flowers are starting to bloom, and it is nice to be outside again! Most moms mentioned wanting to walk with family in the park, planting flowers, or sitting out in the sun when it’s warm—a few, including me, like picking out and planting flowers on Mother’s Day. There’s nothing quite like seeing all those fresh blooms around your house to make you smile.
More examples from my friends and family poll are below-Happy Mother’s Day and enjoy the Spring!
+ Church with family
+ Dinner with adult kids
+ Long relaxing spa day
+ Come home to clean home
+ Quick no-mess dinner
+ Pedicure
+ Lunch with family
+ Run fun errands I want to do alone
+ Come home to clean house
+ Dinner ready with flowers
+ Brunch somewhere I love
+ Nap
+ Favorite coffee
+ Massage and nails done
+ Video messages from family members to keep and replay
+ A family get-together planned and carried out by the dads
+ Kids pick out flowers and plants and plant them together
+ Hotel just for mom to relax and sleep in and read a book
+ Hang out with my mom and plant some flowers
+ New baby: Dad to trace baby’s hand/foot for card
Submitted by Nikki Eddy