How To Honor Moms On Mother’s Day With Meaningful Gestures

In case it slipped your mind, this Sunday May 10th is Mother's Day, a day set aside each year to honor the moms, grandmas, step-moms, and wish-moms who are out there having a positive impact on kids of all ages.

While we should be showing Mom appreciation year 'round, if we only do it on this one day a year, let's make sure it counts!

How do you plan to honor your mom? Many will likely buy flowers, take her to brunch and fill a poetic card with some sentimental words.

While that's certainly a sweet gesture she's bound to appreciate, you could also try something a little bit different this year, and show up for moms in the way they need to most; with time, attention and sincerity.

Let's face it, moms help make the world go around. When we're young, moms are often the alarm clocks, therapists, personal chefs, child care providers, secretaries, personal assistants, teachers, coaches, cheerleaders, cleaners, laundromats and fixers of boo-boos. As we get older, they're the keepers of wisdom, the family historians, and the walking-talking advice columns for what to do and what not to do in life.

The mental gymnastics moms go through, the hours they put in and heart with which they live their lives, in my humble opinion, deserves a little thought and effort in return.

Here are some ways you can connect and support the moms in your life this Sunday.

Help Her Check Off Her 'To-do' List

You want to give a mom in your life the best gift? Show up and start helping! This is an especially awesome gift for moms who have younger kids.There's not a mother out there that I know that doesn't have a laundry pile, a sink full of dishes or dusting that's gone neglected for some time.

tired woman housewife in stress meditates in a lotus yoga pose in laundry. — evgenyatamanenko

Moms are typically very busy and have to prioritize where they spend their time and energy often sacrificing one task for another to make sure the immediate things that need tending to get completed.

Dedicate an afternoon to helping her take care of those little things.

If you have tweens or teens you can pimp out, even better! Offer your services for an hour or so. There's not a mother in the world that doesn't have a backlog of little projects she hasn't had the time to tackle, that could easily be completed in an afternoon, had she just the time to concentrate!

Bonus points: (If she lets you) offer to watch the little ones or complete some projects while she takes some time for herself and maybe enjoys a hot beverage or a hot shower.

2.) Show Up With Something To Drink

Grab her favorite drink, or a gift certificate to a mom's favorite coffee spot, and deliver it to her. Hang out for a little bit and allow her to speak with someone aside from a child, or in some cases, reminisce about when her kids were young. Most moms I know count their kids are their biggest blessings. Give them a minute to brag about them. Moms like to brag about their children, both young and old. So a coffee date with some simple opportunities to chat can go a long way to doing a mom's heart some good. Or, if she's a mom that doesn't get any alone time, creating a moment where she can sip quietly by herself would be heavenly.

3.) Spoil Her With A Spa

Moms often run around, from place to place, with little time to do anything for themselves. Help Mom glam it up with a gift certificate to get her nails done, or get a haircut or facial. Maybe a foot rub and pedicure would be something mom might relish. Helping her feel like her outsides are put together will give her a major boost of confidence. And when Mom feels good, everyone benefits!

4.) Help Her Keep And Organize Her Cherished Memories

Moms take a million pictures of their kids, and often of their spouses with their kids. But aside from the awkward selfie angle, moms are very seldom in photos with their kids. Taking the time to take some family photos, or even hook mom up with a family photo session with your favorite photographer, will help her document her favorite memories and put tangible proof into her hands that her efforts matter, as does her presence.

Woman organizing photo album — Jupiterimages

5.) Clean Mom's Car Or Mom's House

Let's face it, when mom's aren't spending time chasing kids around their homes, they're likely driving kids all around town.

Making sure that the places she spends the most time look spiffy and smell clean can make all the difference, and put a little pep in Mom's step when she's doing the things she does.

If you have the means, getting the pros to come and do a once-over on mom's home or car is awesome. But it means just as much when you put a little of your own elbow grease into the effort, afterall, that's what your mom's been doing for years!

Helping lighten Mom's load and offer her some peace of mind this Mother's Day.

We all know that Mom will like anything because "it's the thought that counts"--but why not try to wow your mom this year? And really THINK about her gift.