Moms spend hundreds of hours a month taking care of their kids and keeping the household running. For many, it can feel like a thankless role, with the exception of efforts made on Mother’s Day. The holiday has been earmarked as a special time of the year to acknowledge and reward the hard work moms do. Our typical approach to celebrating them is through gifting flowers and buying other material gifts. While these things can make a mom feel special, there are priceless gifts that just require some time that can have a similar effect.
A priceless gift could be something that gives a mom a day to herself or lightens her mental load. These are things they often grieve after welcoming children and are likely to appreciate. If you know a tired mom or one who is on autopilot, one or more of these priceless gift ideas could be perfect for her.
Offer Free Babysitting
No matter how much moms love their kids, they likely have several moments a day when they want to “get someone else to do it.” Be that someone else as a Mother’s Day gift! Offer one or several days where you can make yourself available to watch their kids. This could mean coming over to help with the kiddos while mom goes out or taking them out so mom can relax at home uninterrupted. It’s hard to think of a mom who wouldn’t jump at the offer.
Cook Meals For a Day
Some moms enjoy cooking but probably not doing so several times a day, or even a week. Give a mom in your life a day off by taking over all the meals for a day or even for the week.
Another bonus free gift idea–create a meal plan for her if she doesn’t have one already. Thinking of what to cook every day can be cumbersome. You can do the meal plan alongside her if she’s got picky eaters in the family. That way, it will offer food ideas that her household will eat.
Provide Complimentary Spring Cleaning
Some moms pay for cleaners and others don’t. Either way, the house has to get cleaned and it’s not always the most enjoyable task. Take over those duties by helping mom with a deep cleaning of her home. A clean house usually equates to a clearer mind and feeling more grounded.
Make a Handmade Card With Words of Affirmation
Moms can be their own biggest critics at times, so they need reminders that they’re doing a good job. It may seem insignificant, but telling a mom things you admire about her as a parent may be the love she needs on Mother’s Day. Think about extending your words beyond a text message or social media post. Get your arts and crafts supplies out and create a card from scratch and put words on the inside that affirm her.
If you’re not a wordsmith, create a simple list that outlines how you feel. For instance, it could be, “5 reasons you’re one of the best moms I know.”
Be Her Personal Assistant
The mental load of motherhood has been discussed in several studies and it’s arguably one of the hardest parts of parenting. Moms would probably appreciate not having to carry the weight of appointments, grocery lists, school recitals and more, even if it’s just for a day. Offer to be a personal assistant for the day so she can catch a mental break. Another idea would be to look for a college student who wants experience as a PA. See if you can get them to work with the mom in your life and help manage her schedule a few hours a week in exchange for experience they can put on their resume.
Declutter the Kids’ Room
Unless the mom in your life is OCD about everything being in place, they probably need help with the kids’ room. Take a day out to help her declutter and get rid of toys, shoes, books, and anything else that she no longer needs. Having fewer things in a children’s room means one less toy to trip over and less toys for the kids to dump on the floor. If they have older kids, you can work with them to declutter their space too.