With Mother’s Day around the corner, you might be planning a celebration or thinking about ways to make your mother, grandmother, or mother figure feel special. Maybe you’re considering what you really want for Mother’s Day, or wondering what someone you love might be hoping for.
To find out what moms really want for Mother’s Day this year, we went straight to the source.
While these mamas’ love languages might be different, one thing they have in common is a desire for quality time with their families and quality time alone.
Michelle, a mom of three says, “At this stage of my life, my ‘me’ time is extremely limited. That being said, I recognize and treasure the moments I have with my kiddos. I know they will one day launch out on their own and these little moments I have with them will soon come to an end.”
This year has offered more together time (maybe even a little too much) for those under the same roof. And at the same time, many families are missing that quality time.
Betty had her son, Benjamin, just a few months before the start of the pandemic. “I had so much more time to spend with Benjamin than I would have had otherwise and I’m so grateful for that! I never took for granted that the scary days were made so much easier by his happiness.”
Aggy, too, who has been able to work from home, has loved watching her son’s personality grow each day. “But I do look forward to taking him out soon, especially to experience live music this summer,” she says.
“Grounding would be the best word for my experience in motherhood this year, both literally and figuratively,” says Rachel.
“I was grounded from work travel, and my spouse and I juggled virtual school while working remotely and caring for a baby. There were a lot of decisions that felt impossible — like juggling urgent presentations while knowing our young children didn’t quite understand why we were physically present, but unavailable. It forced me to think deeply about what my values are as a mom and how to set creative boundaries to do my best (and give myself grace for imperfection) in all roles I play.”
Some of these women are hoping for a fun family experience for Mother’s Day. Others are hoping for a thoughtful gift.
“This past year has encouraged us to embrace every day experiences with our kids in a new way — having fun with daily tasks like cooking, gardening or even washing dishes. They make fun out of the most mundane things and it’s reminded us that we don’t need in things or fancy vacations to enjoy each other,” says Rachel.
But sometimes, moms want to feel like their family is taking care of them. “A thoughtful gift just indicates that the person actually took time to think about you,” says Tamy. That thoughtfulness goes a long way.
We’ve all gotten creative this year about staying in touch with loved ones, but lots of us are feeling a little drained by all the video calls. “No more Zoom calls please!” says Aggy — while others have relied on video calls as an essential touchpoint with loved ones who are far away. Michelle says that these calls have helped her whole family stay in touch with their grandmas, “On Fridays we have a family Zoom movie night, and on Sundays we have time with Nana (my mom) and Mima (my mom-in-law).”
Ok, let’s get to it, what do you really want for Mother’s Day?
Michelle: “What I would love is for my family to take care of me (meaning not one single request on Mother’s Day — none of the usual: “Mama where are my shoes/shorts?”,”Where are my airpods?”, “Where is my unicorn toy?”. But any mom knows this request is impossible.”
Betty: My perfect day would be sleeping in, going on a hike with my family and having dinner out with girlfriends! I wouldn’t mind a massage either, am I asking for too much? 😉
Aggy: What I really want for Mother’s Day is a dance party in my living room with my family.
Tamy: Time to myself. As a mom, we’re always on the go and thinking of everyone and everything else. It’s nice to just have a moment, even an hour, to be still.
Rachel: A fancy brunch with some fun moms where I can change out of yoga pants!
No matter what your love language is, or what your hopes are for Mother’s Day, it truly is the little things that count.
Rachel says, “This year forced raw, open conversations between all of us to build an understanding for what we all need individually, and how to enjoy each other as a family. In the end, it was exhausting but insightful and elevated my gratitude for their village of support we need to thrive — teachers, family, friends, health workers and beyond.”
No matter what your love language is, one this is clear: moms deserve a whole lot of love and extra pampering this year.
