What Moms REALLY Want For Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is around the corner. In 2022, Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 8th. I asked my mom community of followers on Instagram what they REALLY want for Mother’s Day and I collected those answers together in this post.

What was interesting to me is the difference between moms who have kids still in the house vs. moms who’s kids are grown and away from home. Not all mom’s want the same thing, but there were A LOT of common threads. Don’t be afraid to ASK your mom or spouse what they want and allow them to tell you honestly and authentically what they want without feeling guilty for what they crave. 

Here are some answers of what moms actually want for Mother’s Day. 

Moms With Younger Children

The top two answers were overwhelmingly 1. a hotel room alone for the night and 2. not having to parent, make all the decisions and not having the responsibility of parenting for the day. These were by far the most common answers to my question. Here are some answers that mom’s with younger children gave:

• A hotel room for the night alone, so they can have quiet time, read a book, sleep in, watch reality TV, etc.
• A day where they don’t have the carry the mental load of parenting. Moms don’t want to have to make any decisions for the kids. Dad needs to handle it all.
• A solid night sleep. No children waking her up early, no getting up in the middle of the night with the baby.
• A few hours alone at home.
• Not having to cook, do laundry or do dishes.

Moms With Grown Children

The interesting thing here is that while moms with younger children craved some alone time, moms with grown children craved time with their kids. Here are some of their answers. 

• Time with her kids who don’t live nearby.
• Just a hug from her grown children.
• To have her whole family together.

Moms In General

Here are some of the answers that moms in general would like. Some are not surprising and totally understandable, but some may surprise a husband. 

• A foot rub.
• A dinner out alone with spouse.
• A spa day with a DATE ACTUALLY SET AND BOOKED. If you just give her a gift card chances are it won’t get used. (Several people said this and I totally understand this predicament.)
• Outdoor time with the family, like a hike.
• A designer handbag.
• Thoughtful cards and notes of appreciation for everything she does.
• A nice brunch.
• For husband to have the day off if he normally works every year.
• A gift that has nothing to do with motherhood.
• A “Me” Day
• A day without any phones.
• Someone to come deep clean the house.
• Day drinking at a winery.
• A weekend away by herself.
• Combine Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and do a couples weekend away.
• Not to have to be responsible for another human for a day.
• A pedicure.
• Gift cards to go shopping and time to shop by herself.
• Time alone, uninterrupted in her bedroom to lay around and watch Hallmark movies.
• A day where the kids ask their dad for the things they need instead of her.

Almost all answers had multiple moms who gave that answer. I see a common thread here. Us moms work hard and sometimes we just need a little alone time and/or a little appreciation and both are totally deserved. 

I think there tends to be this preconceived notion that moms need to spend Mother’s Day with their family, but shouldn’t moms get that one day to spend it how they like with no judgment? If a mom wants to be surrounded by family on the day, great! If a mom wants to be alone without her family, that is great too! Everyone is different and has different needs and buckets that need to be filled. Husbands, remember this day isn’t about YOU. This is about your wife. If she wants alone time, don’t interpret this as she doesn’t want to spend time with you. This feeling has nothing to do with you and everything to do with her needing some quiet time. Don’t take any of that personally. My husband and I have had this discussion many times. 

Dads and kids, hopefully this list helped give you some ideas and again, ask your spouse, girlfriend or mom what they would like. If they say, “Oh, I don’t know.” Then ask them, “How about a fancy brunch, time alone with a hotel room or a spa day?” and see what they say. Sometimes they just need to hear the ideas that are on the table to be able to make a decision and tell you what they really want.

Happy Mother’s Day ladies!

Here are some other posts you might like:

Tips for Moms to Sneak In Exercise During Their Busy Day

On The Go Snacks For A Busy Mom

Happy Mother’s Day Wishes To All Mothers- Mother’s Day Quotes

10 Things to Remember to Say to Your Kid

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