My husband goes all out for Mother’s Day: makes me breakfast, buys me flowers, helps my daughter create a gift for me. I feel very spoiled and pampered, but what about the other 364 days a year?
Motherhood is hard.
Motherhood is draining.
Motherhood is demanding.
Motherhood is 24/7/forever!
While I applaud my husband for going all out one day a year and making me feel special, I really need less but more often. I am not a mother one day a year. I am a mother every day. I need encouragement and appreciation. The little things matter.
Remind her she is a good mom.
There are days when nothing goes right. There are days when my toddler has tantrums. There are days when I feel like having a tantrum right along with her. On those days, I don’t feel like I am a good mom. Reminding your spouse that she is a good mom and is doing a good job should happen every day. Tell her over breakfast, send her a text message, remind her as you kiss her good night.
Give her flowers.
I enjoy a nice bouquet of flowers like most women. I love how they brighten up a room. I love how they help my mantle or table look put together. I still want the flowers, but I would rather have them on a Tuesday than on Mother’s Day. Getting them on Mother’s Day feels obligated, cliché, and kind of thoughtless. Bringing home flowers on a random Tuesday because you know I like them, because you know it was a hard day, because you thought of it and the calendar didn’t tell you it was necessary, those are my favorite flowers of all time (even better when they are the ones on sale that I still have to arrange myself)!
Cook her breakfast.
Breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day is a nice treat and a common gift, but remember mom’s like to eat breakfast every day. I am not saying I need breakfast in bed every day, but having breakfast while it’s still hot without having to worry about cutting up toddler bites or refilling sippy cups would be nice every once in a while. Make her favorite breakfast, let her drink her coffee while it’s still warm, or simply make sure the kids are fed so she can hit snooze one more time and skip breakfast for herself like usual.
Mothers definitely deserve to be celebrated, praised and rewarded for the hard work that we do, but it’s important to make sure it’s not limited to one day a year because the calendar said it was important. Celebrate the amazing, caring, and truly remarkable women in your life today, tomorrow and every day.
