Happy Mother’s May!  (stolen from a friend who believes we moms should be celebrated all month long!)  The big day is almost here.  It’s obvious because the average price of greeting cards has skyrocketed.  Pink and frou frou and flowers adorn TV commercials, websites and store displays.  Husbands and children haven’t quite gone into panic mode yet, but it’s coming.  Does she need jewelry, flowers, a book or a coffee mug?  What gift best says “thanks for feeding me, changing my diapers, depleting your savings and driving me to practice every day” (among a million and one other things).

I decided to poll my mom friends and this is what I asked them:  “If you could choose your own Mother’s Day present, what would it be?”  Some of the responses you won’t find surprising at all.  But the one thing that struck me was the lack of a single material possession on the list.  Makes my deep set desire for a Louis Vuitton purse seem a tad shallow 😉 And I just had to double check the spelling on Vuitton which probably means I’m not as big of a fan as I think.  But whatever.

All the responses I received fall in 8 basic categories.  So if it helps you, here are the top 8 things moms of all ages really want for Mother’s Day (in order of popularity):

1.  The Day Off.  And that doesn’t necessarily mean a day without the rest of the family – just the absence of household chores.  No cooking.  We want someone else to prepare or decide what we will partake in.  Several wanted someone else to clean the house, and one mom of tweens just wanted the kids’ rooms cleaned without having to threaten them!  Preach.
2. An experience.  These varied depending on the individual interests of the mom.  One wanted a membership to the Dallas Arboretum, one a family paddle board adventure, one a lazy river with the kiddos, and one a just a getaway (open to where) with her brood.
3. A nap.  Yep.  Just a nap ranked #3!  One new mom did ask for a full day to sleep.  Bless.
4. A spa day.  This one actually tied with naps for number of votes and took several different forms – massage, mani/pedi, or gift certificate to a favorite place.
5. Time.  This one was particularly popular with moms of older kids (when the children are small, mom is smothered in quality time).   And one sweet military wife wants time with her husband, who is deployed.  If I could I would send all my gifts to this hero mom.
6. Letters from children.  No one said an expensive card with a poem written by someone else.  We want to hear in our children’s own words how they feel about us.  Or memories they have.  Hopefully mine is over that argument we had yesterday before she puts pen to paper.
7. Coffee or breakfast in bed.  This probably piggy backs on the whole “day off” concept in that we aren’t fixing our own breakfast and we get to stay in bed a little longer.  Also, it’s just a little acknowledgment that today is different – special.
8. And last, an updated photo of everyone.  This request might apply more to moms of older kids as well.  Wrangling a bunch of littles for a pic sounds exhausting.  But you do you.

I think this list can be boiled down to one word.  Appreciation.  You don’t have to spend an exorbitant amount of money (unless you are going to Louis Vuitton), mom just wants to know that you see her.  You notice how hard she works and the sacrifices she makes to run the household and raise the kids.  She wants to know you are grateful.  No grand gestures necessary.  Just do a little something thoughtful and say “I love you.”

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:”  Proverbs 31:28

Help all the scrambling dads and kids out there by adding to the conversation.  If you are a mom, what do you want for Mother’s Day?