Mother’s Day is a special day to show your mother just how much you appreciate her (although, every day is better). You can buy her some flowers, take her out for lunch and let her know that you do appreciate all the years of love and support she has given you. But what about for the mothers whose children are too young to really celebrate their mothers on Mother’s Day? Unless you count eight hours of breastfeeding as a celebration… which most mothers probably won’t.
Dads, if your child is too little to organise Mother’s Day by himself, then it’s your job to do it. It doesn’t matter how many times she says that it doesn’t matter. Or if she tells you that Mother’s Day is about home made cards and jewellery boxes, badly decorated in pasta and glitter — don’t believe her. Of course, Mother’s Day is about these things, but it’s also very much about you picking up some of the slack so that she can take a well-earned day off.
What To Do On Mother’s Day
She may say she doesn’t want a present. But what she’s really telling you is not to waste money on material things that she likely won’t ever really find the time to appreciate — especially now that she’s elbow deep in dirty nappies. But that doesn’t mean you’re completely off the hook. Here are the things she really wants for Mother’s Day, and best of all, they won’t cost you a single penny:
Mother’s Day Present #1: A Good Night’s Sleep
Even in 2015, mothers do more than their fair share of night wake ups (it’s not always the case, there are exceptions and if reading this is making you furious you’re probably one of them), and this is especially true for breastfeeding mothers. Since she became a mother, she’s probably struggled by on little more than a few consecutive hours of sleep at a time. Broken sleep is as bad as no sleep, and can leave you feeling pretty rubbish all the next day. For a Mother’s Day treat, take over some of those night time duties. Even if your partner is breastfeeding and you know the baby is going to look in disgust at your flat chest, you can still help out by bringing the baby to her in the night. It’s also worth finding out if she needs anything, breastfeeding is thirsty work you know.
Mother’s Day Present #2: A Lie-In
You might think the good night’s sleep would be enough, but sadly your partner has a sleep debt totaling the exact age of your child, so one night just isn’t going to cut it. Lie-ins are so rare these day, this gift is pretty much the same as a diamond ring. As your partner sleeps in the morning, whisk your little one downstairs for some quality father and son time, and let your partner catch up on her beauty sleep (but don’t call it that unless you want an argument).
Mother’s Day Present #3: An Uninterrupted Bath
To give your partner an extra special Mother’s Day, let her wash in peace. Bubbles, candles and a locked door can go a long way toward showing your partner how much the whole family appreciate her. Make sure there is plenty of hot water so she can stay in there for hours if she needs to. And while she’s in there, you should make sure there aren’t any jobs waiting for her when she gets out. Put away the laundry, do the dishes, and make sure the house looks tidy so she can enjoy her day without lifting a finger.
Mother’s Day Present #4: Quality Time
Mother’s Day is all about taking a step back from the usual chores, and just spending some time enjoying your beautiful family. So don’t let her do all the work – take responsibility for planning something the whole family can enjoy. It could be a lunch out, a trip to the beach, or a simple afternoon snuggled up on the sofa in front of a family movie.
Mother’s Day Present #5: Photo Ops
You may have noticed that your family album is packed with photos of you and your baby, but your partner hardly gets a look in. All too often, mothers are the ones behind the camera and miss out on being in those all-important baby photos. Make a conscious effort so snap a few photos of mother and baby throughout the day. They don’t need to be perfect, or printed on huge canvases, they just need to capture motherhood so that your partner has proof she was a part of the family. Far from doing this for one day only, why not make a Mother’s Day pledge to capture more photos of your partner doing all of the things she does under the huge umbrella that is motherhood.
Mother’s Day Present #6: Some Compliments
Your partner probably (hopefully) already knows she’s a pretty good mother, at least some of the time, even if she thinks she’s not perfect. And she can probably tell that her baby agrees thanks to all the smiles, giggles and cuddles throughout the day. But does she know that you think it too? Have you taken the time to tell her how grateful you are that she is the mother of your children, and that you think she is doing an unbelievably amazing job? Take a few minutes to explain to her exactly why you think she’s doing a great job. It will mean a lot to her.
Mother’s Day Present #7: To Feel Human
Motherhood can be pretty exhausting. There are an endless amount of dirty nappies, snotty noses and teething pains. After a full day of looking after your baby, your partner is probably wiped out. She might spend her evenings slumped in front of the television, pyjamas on, enjoying some rare time to herself. On Mother’s Day, treat her to a special evening where she gets to feel, not like a recovering mother, but like herself. Cook her a nice meal, get dressed up, and open a bottle of wine. Offer her a massage (with a smile on your face, because you really want to massage her).
Yes, the baby will interrupt your evening by waking up at least once, but it’s still worth doing. You might be surprised to see how much change it could make to both of you, and to your relationship. Appreciation is glue for relationships.
