last minute mother’s day gifts that won’t feel last minute

a mental load break

Decision fatigue and actual fatigue are REAL in motherhood. So for mother’s day, give her the day off. Here are some ways to gift a mental load break (or ask for the gift of a mental load break):

Take the baby monitor for the weekend – moms are never off-duty, but this is the closest she’ll get.
Take over bedtime/bath time/laundry/dishes or all of the above – think about what her pain points are, and try to relieve them.
Make a brunch reservation for her and her bestie, then watch the kids while she enjoys – invite the bestie for her and push her out the door.

anything made by her kids

The key with handmade gift-giving is to make it practical or useful so she [feel guilty when she] throws it away. Here are some ideas:

Any artwork your kid creates – put it in a frame. Paper is easy to throw away.
Mondo Llama crafts at Target – easy to grab curbside.
A handwritten or dictated note – again, put it in a frame or a card that she’ll want to keep.
“10 things I love about Mommy” – this can be a video or a drawing and makes for the BEST annual tradition.

relaxation

I think it’s fair to say that every mom wants a little alone-time for Mother’s Day. Here are some last-minute ways to make that happen for her:

A gift certificate for a manicure/facial/massage – BONUS POINTS for booking it for her and watching the kids while she enjoys.
Uninterrupted time in a room alone to scroll/read/binge/craft/shower – crazy that that’s a thoughtful gift for moms, right?
A hotel room away for a night, or a weekend – it can be close to home or far from home, whatever her comfort level is.

food she doesn’t have to make, clean up after, or even think about

Why can food be so triggering for moms? It. is. constant. Planning for, shopping for, preparing, cleaning up after, filling and emptying the dishwasher, vacuuming the crumbs, dealing with pickiness… give that girl a break from it! Here’s how:

Coffee in bed – her usual or something special, as long as it’s caffeinated.
Make her (or order her) a meal, any meal – the key is to not involve her in the decision making.
Clean the kitchen – entirely. That means wiping counters, vacuuming floors, leaving her with an empty dishwasher

Now get going, you thoughtful gift-giver, you!