Mother’s Day Wish List

None of my three kids were born in the month of their due dates.  My oldest was due May 30, but was born June 6.  My middle was due December 12, but was born November 30.  My youngest was due July 1, but arrived on June 27.

May’s birthstone is an emerald.  December’s is the aquamarine.  July gets the ruby.  I should have had a beautiful rainbow of birthstones for Mother’s Day jewelry.  Instead, I have a topaz and two pearls.  The pearls translate to a purple stone called alexandrite when you shop for birthstone jewelry.

Ladies, are you lining up for jewels in orange and purple?

No, me neither.

So my husband is screwed when it comes to finding great Mother’s Day gifts for me.  Add in the fact that my birthday is typically about a week after Mother’s Day, and he’s screwed twice over.  And not in the good way.

So, in an effort to make his life easier for next year (let’s face it, Mother’s Day is less than a week away.  It’s too late for this year.), I’m making this list to which he can refer for all years moving forward.

A Performance Evaluation

Tell us what we’re doing well.  Once we leave the workforce to become stay-at-home moms, we gain the benefits of being able to work from home in our pajamas. However, we also lose the perks of adult interaction and an awareness of what’s happening in the world outside our door.  Perhaps the biggest perk we miss from our working days, though, is the performance evaluation. Let’s face it, the guilt and worry that we are screwing up our children comes with motherhood.  We can’t avoid it.  Someone to pat us on the back for a job well done, and an acknowledgement of all of our hard work would be a welcome surprise.  It’s not a celebratory event.  It’s just a small nod in our direction that lets us know that we’re not failing at absolutely everything.

A Week Off of Laundry Duty

For me, laundry is my nemesis.  For others, perhaps it’s cleaning the toilet or doing the dishes.  What an amazing gift it would be to have that one most-despised job taken off of our plate for a week, or even just a few days. It’s a dream, really.

A Clean Toilet

That brings me to this wish.  That the toilet would stay clean. If there are boys in the house, I can guarantee you that Mom has wished there was a moat on the floor surrounding it.  Boys are gross.  Teach them to aim, or at the very least, to grab a Clorox wipe from the canister Mom keeps next to the toilet and wipe up their own splatter.

No Armchair Quarterbacking

Dads, when you leave the house to go to work, Mom has to get everything done for the kids. She makes 1,000 decisions each day in relation to their lives.  Don’t come home and question her choices. Or, worse yet, question the kids about Mom’s choices. If you aren’t there in the moment to get the job done, you don’t get the power to criticize or second-guess. We do enough of that all on our own.  Remember that every mother has built-in worry and guilt over EVERYTHING.  She doubts herself enough without having to hear your armchair quarterback calls after the fact. It may not be intended to hurt, but it does.  Please think before you speak.

Daddy’s Power of Invisibility

“Mommy! I need…” or “Mom! Can I have…” or “Mom, where is my…?” or “Mommy, look at this!”

When we’re in the bathroom, in the shower, making dinner, talking on the phone, or folding laundry, the short people have radar to know when Mom’s busy.  For Mother’s Day, step in and intercept their requests and demands. Be like a super hero.  Act like a Mom shield. Throw off your cloak of invisibility and pass that power to her for a day or two.

A Few Hours Away

On Mothers Day, moms want to be recognized by their kids and husbands for all they do every day.  But that doesn’t mean they want to be around their kids all day.  That’s their normal place in life everyday. Instead, send Mom off for a couple of hours to do whatever she loves best.  Give her the gift of time to read on the beach, get a massage, or go for a walk. Tell her in advance that she’ll get x amount of hours alone on Mother’s Day so she can plan ahead for how she wants to spend that time. Trust me, when she returns, she’ll want to be with her short people and she’ll appreciate them so much more.

Free Fill Ups

Know her favorite beverage and keep her cup or glass full all day.  If she’s a coffee lover, keep the pot hot and her mug full.  If she drinks wine, grant her an extra glass in the evening without asking.  That magical refilling vessel may just grant you the biggest smiles on Mom’s face all day.  We’re Moms.  We notice and appreciate the little things.

Fellow Moms, what are some other realistic requests you have for Mother’s Day?

On that note, what requests do the Dads out there have for Father’s Day?

I’d love to hear them in the comments!