Giving Mom the Gift of Kindness

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and, as usual, you’re scrambling to find the perfect gift for mom. You’ve gone through all the obvious choices: Cards, flowers, fancy soaps, chocolate…boring!

Mother’s day is all about the unique relationship that has formed between you and your mother. It is a one-of-a-kind connection that cannot be replicated by anyone, anywhere. So shouldn’t the effort you put into your Mother’s Day gift reflect that?

When preparing for Mother’s Day this year, think about what you can do for mom that will be unique, memorable and still score you some major brownie points. This Mother’s Day, in lieu of a gift, shower your mom with acts of kindness! Here are just a few ways you can bring a smile to mom’s face while making the world a better, happier place.

Personal Shopper:Uh oh. Mom’s out of peanut butter again. You know exactly where your mom keeps her shopping list: on the refrigerator, on her desk, in the notepad on her phone. Be a little sneaky this Mother’s Day and grab mom’s list without her looking. She’ll be over the moon when she comes home to a stocked fridge (and even happier that she didn’t have to make the trip herself!)

Sharing a Special Recipe: If chocolate chip cookie baking were an Olympic sport, your mom would take home the gold. How many times have you eaten your mom’s winning recipe and told her how much you love it? This Mother’s Day, it’s time your appreciation for mom (and her recipes!) are shared with the world. Grab mom’s world famous cookie, cake or soup recipe and start cooking up a large batch. Write up a blurb about your mother and what she means to you and attach them to each package of food. Bring these treats to your neighbors, local food shelter or senior center and hand them out in honor of your mother. Document your act of kindness and tell mom that for Mother’s Day, you’re sharing how special she is with the entire world.

Just say Hello: If you don’t live with your mom anymore, just taking some time to visit her can be the best present in the world. Make your time together a little extra special by going through old photographs, funny diary entries, playing games and sharing memories. After visiting mom, spend some time together by visiting others. A staggering 60% of residents at senior centers do not receive any visitors at all. Grab some flowers with mom and bring them to a local senior center and bring some smiles to their faces.

Plan a Mother/Child Day: How many times have you heard mom say “You used to love hanging out with me when you were little!”? Spend a day with your mom to show her that she’s just as special to you now as she was back in your elementary school days. Start with a walk in the park, have a picnic and finish the day by treating her to a fun movie. Showing mom that you’re willing to put your plans on hold to spend time with her will make her feel loved and appreciated.

We hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day filled with quality family time and lots of kindness!