Hi, dads of the world, how’s it going? Just throwing this out there… Mother’s Day is coming up. I know it is probably not on your radar yet, but that’s what I am here for! If the mother of your children is sharing this post with you via your DMs, she is trying to tell you something. Please, if I could have your attention for just a few minutes, I will explain what she really wants for Mother’s Day.
It really isn’t super complicated. In fact, I can narrow it down to things that can be counted on one hand—and most of them are FREE!! So what is it that we really want?
- Alone Time. Preferably at the spa. Or sleeping. Hey, maybe even both! Truly though, an entire day at the spa or even a single treatment could get expensive, but there are many places in town that offer massages for a very reasonable price! Oak Haven is one of my personal favorites, but there are countless other options that can be found online.
- A Clean House… that we did not have to clean. It could be you, it could be someone that you hired. It does not even have to be immaculate. The highest priorities are picking up, vacuuming, and a clean kitchen with an empty dishwasher. You could also think about if there is a chore your wife often neglects or complains about (for me, it’s the showers). Knocking that out for her will earn you major brownie points and make her feel appreciated!
- A Break from Managing Everyone’s Emotions. That means not playing referee when the kids argue, not having to comfort tired and emotional toddlers, and not having to ask for help taking care of the kids for a day. If you hear an argument that needs an adult or see the kids making a b-line for her with that tell-tale tone saying, “Mooooooommmmmmm,” just take care of it for her. Inform the kids that Mom is off-duty for the day, and anything they need must be addressed to you.
- Children’s Artwork. Yes, we actually love this. Please continue encouraging the kids to make us homemade cards and pictures, because we really do love to see their love channeled into creativity!
- Flowers or a Small Gift to Open. This does not need to be expensive, but it is nice to have a little something to open, or a beautiful bouquet of flowers to look at for a few days to remind us that you do want us to feel special. If you took my advice about a massage, you could even knock out #1 and #5 at the same time.
It is also important to remember that Mother’s Day can be painful for many women. Maybe they have lost their own mother or a child, and the day feels like it is rubbing grief in their face. Other women simply feel let down because they really need a day off or something to make them feel appreciated, and then that doesn’t happen in a way that meets their needs or expectations. The bottom line is that what we really want is a feeling of appreciation and love. We want to know that you notice all the things we do for our children and families, and the best way to do that is to relieve us of some of those duties for even just one day.
