Mother’s Day is a beautiful time to honor the moms in your life.
But when you’re a mom of a newborn? Mother’s Day is probably the last thing on your mind. You’ve got about a thousand other things that demand your attention...and that’s just before lunch.
Maybe you’re even tempted to skip Mother’s Day altogether.
After all, you’re doing the hardest job on the planet: raising a tiny human! Who cares if you let this one Hallmark occasion slide, right?
Well, we agree...and we also don’t.
Moments of reflection are SO important. And we believe that every mom deserves a little somethin’ somethin’ to acknowledge all her hard work on Mother’s Day.
So let us make it easy for you to cross this one off your to-do list...
Just forward this to a loved one in your life give them a gentle nudge that I’m raising a tiny human and you should do something nice for me, k?
Partners, friends, family members: this is for YOU.
Here are 6 ideas for simple but meaningful ways to make the new mom in your life feel valued this Mother’s Day. They’re all low-cost (sometimes no cost) and low-work, but extremely high value.
(And, heads-up, we’re going to use the term “wife” in this article, for simplicity — although we know there are also friends, parents, siblings, etc. reading this, too!)
52 Things I Love About You
(Source: ziploc.com)
One of my friends recently did this and her husband (who’s not an overly touchy-feely guy) absolutely loved it. He said it’s one of the best gifts he’s ever received.
In our busy world, we often don’t have time to let our loved ones know what we value, admire, and treasure about them. This gift gives you that opportunity.
Take a deck of cards and write one thing you love about your wife on each card. These can be big things or small things, deep-and-meaningful things or silly things.
Really take some time to think of 52 things you love and write (or print — here’s a template!) them out.
This gift is great to give her a dose of love on Mother’s Day, but she can also pull them out when she’s having a hard day. It’s a lifelong reminder of how amazing she is — which is a pretty amazing benefit for a gift the price of a pack of cards!
Simplify Her Week by Cooking
At the top of most mom’s to-do lists is figuring out what to eat for dinner...and then cooking that dish.
We know that offering to cook dinner every night isn’t always realistic, if you work outside the home or travel often. You can still make her week easier by stocking the freezer with a week’s worth of freezer meals.
No, we don’t mean buying a bunch of Lean Cuisine! Actually cook these meals with your own two hands — there’s nothing better than food prepared by someone you love.
Not sure where to find freezer meal recipes?
All you have to do is go to Pinterest.com and search for “freezer meals”. You can customize it to suit your wife’s preferences with things like “vegetarian freezer meals”, “gluten-free freezer meals”, “all-natural freezer meals”...you get the idea.
You’ll get a huge list of options. Just click through until you find a few that fit your budget and eating style, and cook away!
The Gift of Time
Ask a new mom what she fantasizes about most and you probably won’t hear anything about exotic vacations or fancy nights out. It’ll be more like, “I just really want one hour where I don’t have to answer to anybody else.”
Most moms feel guilty taking time to themselves. Break that line of thinking this Mother’s Day by giving her some me time.
Write a card that tells your wife you see how hard she’s working and you want to give her some time to put herself first every week.
Look at your schedule and see what feels realistic. Where do you have a block of time when you can take over everything that normally happens during that slot? Think beyond just childcare and factor in the cleaning, cooking, and anything else your wife would normally be doing.
Schedule that appointment into both your calendars to make it happen.
Don’t underestimate this time! Even two hours per week can help reduce stress, improve mood, and generally make your wife feel like a human being again instead of simply a baby-raising machine. Encourage her to use those glorious hours intentionally — to read, take a bath, grab lunch with girlfriends, whatever she wants.
Musical Memories
Remember back in high school, when the most meaningful thing you could do for your girlfriend was to make her a playlist? Why did we ever stop doing that?
Make your wife a playlist this Mother’s Day for a burst of nostalgia and meaning, all wrapped up into one.
Use Spotify or Google Play to create a personalized playlist. You can add in different types of songs:
- Love songs that make you think of her
- Songs that represent meaningful memories in your life
- Funny songs that will make her laugh
Bonus points if you throw in a few songs she’s mentioned she loves! We all long to feel understood and important, so if you show her you remember her favorite tunes, she’ll know you’ve been paying attention to her.
To make it even sweeter, write out why you included each song so she’ll know the meaning behind your choices.
Date Box
(Source: shannonbrown.typepad.com)
This gift is a great way to show you prioritize your wife as your wife, rather than just a mother.
Brainstorm a few fun date night ideas and make an envelope for each one. Include instructions on what you’ll be doing, any necessary maps, gift cards, etc. so all your wife has to do is say “yes”.
You can keep your budget low if you get creative! Things like movie night at home with her favorite candy in the envelope, a walking tour of your hometown, or an afternoon at a bookstore she loves are all nearly free ideas that still feel special. (Click here for more date night ideas.)
The beauty behind this gift is the thoughtfulness. Moms have so much on their minds that it’s nice when someone else works out the details.
If this is for someone who isn’t your wife, think of activities she can do on her own. A gift card to her favorite lunch spot, a solo afternoon at the movies, a coupon for a full day of babysitting...there are plenty of ways you tweak this gift to work!
Ol’ Faithful: Breakfast in Bed
When all else fails, go with the tried-and-true approach...
Waking up to a pre-cooked breakfast, from the comfort of a cozy bed, is HEAVEN.
All you need is a sturdy breakfast tray (because coffee spills on the comforter are never a good idea) and your wife’s favorite breakfast.
Whether you cook something from scratch or pick up croissants from her favorite cafe, the effort will absolutely be appreciated all the same.
And don’t think you need to make it complicated! There’s serious beauty in the simplicity of a good cup of coffee, sliced fruit, and two slices of buttered toast. Don’t overthink it. :)
Moms are a special breed. They work tirelessly and don’t ask for much thanks. You’ll be surprised at how far a few dollars and a little bit of time can go.
Pick one of these ideas and pour your heart into it. You never know how much it will mean!
I’m not a mom yet (our little guy arrives next month!) but I can say that I would be over-the-moon to receive any one of these gifts next year.
And on that note, I’m off to forward this to my husband, to get a jump start on next Mother’s Day. :)
Give the Gift of Ease (and SAVE!)
The Dooli™ Diaper Genie® compatible products were designed to make moms’ lives a little easier.
Our Diaper Genie® Compatible Bag Adapter allows you to use ANY bag in your house and our Bag Refills use seven layers of odor-locking technology to keep your home smelling fresh.
Enjoy 15% off this Mother’s Day with the coupon code FORMOM15. (Expires Monday 5/14/18).