What Mom Actually Wants For Mother's Day

Sure, our babies are our priorities, our greatest joys in life, and the best things that ever happened to us. They’re also the root cause for brunches becoming less than leisurely, phone calls becoming near impossible, mani/pedis having to last an extra week past due date (or foregone completely), and 20 minute bath/shower/spa sessions dwindling to a measly 5.

While those cute little buggers are worth an occasional ratty nail and unwashed hair, with the rise of self-care and a reassessment of gender roles, the modern mom is learning to ditch the mother-as-martyr paradigm and, every once in a while, swap that selfless attitude for a little well-deserved selfishness.

And while we may manage to scrape a little self-care time together for ourselves here and there,  there are designated times where mom should be able to dedicate a nice solid chunk of time and energy to herself. One of those being Mother’s Day. After all, note the possessive - it’s right there in the name.

That being said, here are 5 things (as told to me by real-live mothers) that moms actually want for Mother’s Day more than yet another macaroni necklace (one is enough, thanks):

image via mimosalaneblog

1. A CLEAN HOUSE

Whether you clean the house yourself or hire someone to do it, taking the burden off mom to do any type of cleaning or pickup is a huge gift. Besides, a lot of what moms do on a daily basis to keep the house from falling apart inherently goes unnoticed. So when the rest of the fam roll up their sleeves and take it on themselves, it’s an excellent reminder of all the hard work that she regularly does that gets taken for granted.

image by bruce laurence

2. TASKRABBIT GIFT CARD/CREDIT

Similar to the above but also not at all,  services like Taskrabbit are a genius way to give mom a little time back to herself and to clear off some of those things that have been lingering on her wishful to-do list. Has she been dying to get the garage cleaned out or the linen closet organized? Or what picking up the dry cleaning, or installing that extra shelf in the pantry? If you don’t have Taskrabbit in your area, some other good options include Thumbtack and Care.com (P.S. babysitting vouchers are never a bad idea). Plus, other services such as meal delivery (ideally ones where cooking is not required, a la The Good Kitchen) are a total win.

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3. SLEEP

Moms are often up before everyone else and the last ones to bed. So giving her an extra hour or five to catch up on those much needed Z’s is more precious than you think. Want to go classic by surprising her with breakfast in bed? Try this instead - instead of waking her up with a breakfast tray, have her text you when she’s ready for breakfast so that you can be sure her REM isn’t cut short.

4. SOMETHING TO MAKE HER FEEL BEAUTIFUL

Preferably something a little extra luxe. Also preferably something that she can continue to use multiple times to reinstate those self-indulgent goddess feels over and over again - even if they only last a minute at a time. Also ideal is something pretty, like Biossance’s limited-edition pretty-in-pink Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil, which is part of their Rose Glow Set (which, by the way, if you buy everything separately, is $126 but as a set, it’s $88). If you read this blog, you’ll know that I’m a huge fan of Biossance, but their limited edition Rose Glow Set takes the cake as a mother’s dream. Not only are you giving her the gift of some very pretty packaging, but you’re also giving her the gift of radiant skin. The Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil hydrates the skin with squalane and brightens the skin with Vitamin C, while reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. And bonus points for smelling divine. Meanwhile, the Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel reduces the appearance of puffiness and dark circles while firming and smoothing the skin for a face that says ‘I eat a well-balanced diet and get 8 hours on the regular’ kind of look. PS Biossance also has gift cards if you want to let her pick her own poison…

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5. TIME ALONE

Don’t take this personally - of course mom loves her family. But for most moms, the ability to hear herself think becomes a precious commodity from the moment that first baby pops out. Whether it’s an hour or a full, glorious day, a little alone time will help recenter and remind her of who she is as an individual (and not just as a mom). If you want to get cheeky with it, write her a card that announces from 10-4 pm (or however long you can muster) she will not receive a single text, call, or visit from anyone in the family - and then stick to it. This will give her peace of mind that it’s not an empty promise. And see the previous tips on how to help her make time in her schedule so that she doesn’t have to feel guilty for spending that time any way she wants, whether that be  indulging in her new beauty goodies, putting her feet up with a book, or simply staring at the wall...