Thoughtful Mother’s Day Gifts and Motherhood Appreciation

Mother’s Day is a beautiful day. It is a day to celebrate all the mama’s in our lives. It is a day that I personally love to enjoy with my family and do whatever I feel like doing. I love inspiration for thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts for the mama’s in my life. But what I have found is that intentional and purposeful gifts are definitely a must, but nothing beats time spent and memories made.

Reflecting back on my personal journey as a mother is incredible. However, I am a work in progress and finding a balance and between working full time, optimizing my time with my child, maintaining a healthy marriage, spending time with my dog, and caring for my house. I often times put myself last on the list of priorities. So prioritizing myself, even if it is 10 minutes during the day, has been my biggest lesson in motherhood. This blog post is inspiration for finding that balance, releasing perfectionism and mom guilt, plus some fun ways to celebrate and honor yourself as a mom. Plus inspiration to honor friends who are mama’s or your own mama’s with a thoughtful Mother’s day gifts or time spent together.

Finding Balance in Motherhood

I am a mother, but I am also more than a mother. Let me break it down. I am a multi faceted human being. I have hobbies and interests and necessities that I need as a adult human being living in this world (such as shoes, toiletries, clothing, etc.) . Of course I need the basic sleep, food, rest, and exercise. But I also need alone time where I can reset and think for myself for a minute. I also need time for my marriage and I need to spend time with my dog.

In order to function each day, I need to make sure I am well rested and hydrated so I can do it all over again the next day, plus add in my full time job. Wow that’s a lot now that I break it all down, but I would not trade any of it for the world. I am a work in progress trying to find a healthy balance between it all. When I am balanced and take the time I need for myself, I am a better mother, wife, and all around happier human being.

Caring for your Child and Caring for yourself

Innately I am very connected to my child and what his needs are. Is he okay? Is he hungry? Do I need to change his pull up? Is he sleeping? The list could go on forever. So it is often hard for me to come down from mom mode into Brittany mode. But I know it is something I have to do. Having a self care practice really helps me to reset. My self care blog post has my favorite simple and affordable self care practices that I make sure I keep in rotation.

Finding balance in motherhood is not easy. It also is not set in stone or the same amount of time every day. Some days it is me simply resting for 10 minutes past my alarm, and other days it is a full on self care bath, face mask, cup of hot tea, etc. I essentially have to try to make a little time for myself daily and some days that time is longer than other days and that is totally okay.

Releasing Perfectionism & Mom Guilt

Mom guilt is this little voice of fear that needs to be tuned out and thrown away. It is the voice telling me I am not deserving of my favorite facial wash or a new pair of pajamas because I should be buying things for my son. Also, it is the voice saying that I am not a good mother because I am a working mother. It is the voice saying that I don’t deserve rest because there are a million other things I could be doing, organizing, or cleaning. Just like any voice or thought of fear or self doubt, choosing love is the best way to shut down that little voice of fear. Love is more powerful than fear. Love wins.

I use the affirmations such as, “I am worthy of ___________” (For example, I am worthy of time to myself) has helped me a lot to help me overcome these thoughts. I am worthy of time for myself. I am worthy of this new pair of pajamas. I am worthy of getting extra rest. Affirmations help me flip the narrative of fear and doubt into powerful words of affirmation.

Doing the Best you Can

One of my favorite books of all time, The Four Agreements (Amazon) talks about “doing your best every day”. And I live by this. This helps me release feelings of guilt and perfectionism. On that note, I saw an Instagram reel recently that said something like “if you only have 30% to give today and you gave the 30%, then that is 100%”. That idea really has resonated with me and has helped me. Looking at motherhood with less judgment towards myself and more love of all the amazing things I do on a daily basis is also very helpful.

I don’t have to be a perfect mom. I just have to be mom. Also, I have to show up. I have to read with my child and teach them new things. I have to feed him fun snacks and enjoy all the moments. But I do NOT have to be perfect. I am learning too. I am working through my own childhood traumas and hurts too as I learn how to parent my own child. It is challenging and healing all at the same time.

Respect for all women

I have noticed when I respect and send love to other women it is healing in so many ways. I have been focusing on releasing what society has made us feel like we have to do with women such as be jealous and engage in gossip. And instead lean into love and respect. Instead of “why does that mom let her child cry in trader joes” reframe as “look how calm that mother is being while her son is crying in Trader Joe’s” and give her a smile or tell her she is doing a great job.

We need to support women and mothers to create more love in this world. I have a blog post inspired by this, to support post partum mothers which touches on some of these ideas regarding supporting women (link here). Just consider flipping the narrative when you feel resentment or jealousy towards another women, it will create space for more love for you and the world! Women are healers and creators and ultimate multi taskers and primal beings with strong instincts. We are incredible. Also, we grow and birth out a beautiful creation of love. We deserve respect love, and compassion.

Gifting Inspiration for the Mama in your life

I enjoy experiences and meaningful yet practical gifts as a mother. So this list of thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts is inspired by that fact. Memories mean so much to me and time spent together fills my heart completely. I am not a materialistic girl though. So think of the mama in your life and decide what the most thoughtful mother’s day gift would be for their unique lifestyle and preferences. Enjoy this list of thoughtful Mother’s day gifts for the mama in your life this mothers day and beyond.

List of Thoughtful Mother’s day Gifts

-Take the mama in your life to Ice cream or out to her favorite coffee shop (see my fav Albuquerque spots blog post from my favorite local ice cream spot + coffee shops)

-Make the mama in your life a beautiful breakfast or brunch

-Enjoy a movie together and let mom pick the movie. Either go to the movies and stay home and get fun snacks.

-Treat mom to a plant or a bouquet of flowers . I personally love the idea of a plant for indoor or outdoor since it will live on. It will be a nice memory too. But flowers are also very lovely and really bring me joy when my son and husband bring them to me.

-Write a poem or make a card with a thoughtful heartfelt message. Words are a powerful tool to make loved ones feel loved and appreciated.

-Buy mama a practical gift they will use every day like a nice water jug. I have this Simple Modern (Amazon) one in green and I love it!

-Buy mama a self care inspired gift like a face mask. I love these ones from Loops (Amazon), a gua sha tool (Amazon) like this amazing stainless steel one I have, Epsom Salts (Amazon) for baths (fragrance free for the sensitive mamas like me), and anything else self care related.

-Buy mama a book she has on her wish list. I am a book person and I love the idea of giving someone a book and writing a message in the front like a card. It’s so special.

-Give mama an hour to herself. An hour to be untouched, unbothered, and to do whatever he wants. for me I would probably nap or meditate or go on a long walk by myself. This sounds like a very luxurious gift!

Just remember sometimes the best gifts are time spent together and sentimental gifts. I hope you enjoyed this list of Thoughtful Mother’s day gifts. Plus, I hope some of my thoughts and experiences with mom guilt and perfectionism resonated.

Mother’s Day Poem

I will leave you with this poem I wrote about my experience as a mother with the balancing act of understanding who I am in this world while holding a very important role of a mother.

I am a Mother

I am not who I was. I am not yet who I am going to be.

I am me right now in this moment.

I am a mother. Yet I am so much more than a mother.

I am still me. But I am also different.

My body has changed forever. My soul has changed forever.

But its not a change that stops. It is infinite change.

Daily change.

Always changing. Always learning.

Always returning to humbleness.

Honor and respect all women. All of the days.

Be kind and companionate to women.

We carry the heaviness of our ancestors. We must break the chains and cycles to create new paths.

New paths to survive and thrive.

Mothers are a force of light and a force of life.

I am a mother but it does not fully define me.

Yet it is me.

It changed me for the better

It changed me forever

I am a mother.