Typically, I spend Mother’s Day with my mom. My sister is a mom of three and has her own day to celebrate. Not being a mom, spending the day with my mom makes the most sense. This year, we had plans to see Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf starring Laurie Metcalfe on Broadway. We started this tradition last year after we saw her perform in Hillary and Clinton. When the performance ended, we just stared at each other, without words, by how phenomenal Laurie Metcalf is on stage.
View this post on InstagramAfter you experience Laurie Metcalf perform on stage you think, “Okay, if I died tomorrow I’d be good.” Watching her perform Lucas Hnath’s prolific and dense writing WITH John Lithgow is almost too much to take in at once. Hillary and Clinton @hillaryandcbway on Broadway was not just a play, it was an experience, and I was thrilled to have it with my mom. Go Aunt Jackie and Rev. Footloose. You BROUGHT it! #lauriemetcalf #johnlithgow #hillaryandclinton
A post shared by Bridgette Raes (@bridgetteraes) on May 12, 2019 at 2:15pm PDT
Of course, the lockdown put the kibosh on these plans to see the show. Not only will we not see the play, but we also won’t see each other. Given the fact that many of us will celebrate Mother’s Day at a distance, the sooner you order a gift for mom the better. I have put together gift ideas for moms at all stages of motherhood.
What Being a Mom Feels Like
I don’t know what it feels like to be a mom, and I am okay with that. It never was a particular goal in my life. I’d rather be an aunt. Being out of my depths here, the coincidence was too great that the day I was working on this post, my client sent me this video that she filmed with her daughter. With her permission, I am sharing it here. Grab the Kleenex and get ready to be blown away by this motherly exchange. You may recognize my client Miss Spunky and her mom is Mrs. Polished.
Mother’s Day Gifts for All Stages of Motherhood
My thanks to my sister for being my consult on these gift ideas.
Gifts for New Moms
When I think about what it’s like to be a new mom the first word that comes to mind is exhaustion. There is an overwhelming newness as a mom adjusts to a whole new world.
Gift 1: For the mom whose attention is constantly distracted, I selected a temperature control mug from Ember to help ensure mom’s mainline of caffeine is always drinkable.
Gift 2: To deal with babies who like to put things in their mouths (all babies) Etsy sells beautiful teething necklaces for mom to wear that babies can safely chew on.
Gift 3: Moms in NYC rely on 7am Enfant’s Warmmuffs that attach directly to a stroller and help moms quickly keep their hands warm while pushing taking their child out in cold weather.
Gift 4: For the mom who wants to keep it together but has no time to purchase beauty products, a subscription to Dermstore’s beauty boxes will alleviate a new mom from the task of figuring out her beauty routine.
Gift 5: For the new mom who wants to keep it cool. Dagne Dover makes a sleek and modern diaper bag that is a backpack and has a feature that attaches to a stroller.
Gifts for Moms with Young Kids
Finally, moms get to a point where they have a bit of their lives back as their kids find a bit more independence. But this is not to say they aren’t incredibly proud of the family that has been built. These gifts find that balance.
Gift 1: An at-home manicure kit. With nail salons closed, this gift idea requires little explanation.
Gift 2: A family names throw pillow cover. Moms have worked hard to build their families and are proud to show it off.
Gift 3: A decorative candle for those rare moments alone times moms with young kids get.
Gift 4: This bear cub necklace stylishly lets moms show off their inner mama bear.
Gift 5: This printed Filter Heart Snapshot Mix® Photo Art gift is a great way for mom to display her family with a big heart.
Gifts for Moms with Teens
Two of my sister’s two kids are teens and the third is on the cusp. She obviously loves her kids but also cherishes her new-found ‘me time.’ Unwinding with a comfy blanket and a good book is one of her favorite well-earned pastimes.
Gift 1: I love this personalized recipe plate that can be printed in its original handwriting. We have a family cheesecake recipe and my favorite part about the copy of the recipe I have is that it comes directly from my grandmother’s cookbook. It makes me feel more connected to her. Imagine a teen giving her mom a gift of a favorite recipe they baked together or a family recipe archived in this manner.
Gift 2: The Unwind Live Well Gift Set was designed with garden-inspired lavender aromatherapy tools and a sleep mask to help you rediscover what beauty sleep really means.
Gift 3: The I Love You Mom book is a great gift for any teen to give their mom. When pre-filled out, the stories shared, written in their own words will fill any mom with gratitude.
Gift 4: A weighted blanket is a gift a mom can definitely use. Weighted blankets have been proven to improve sleep quality and reduce stress. Two things any mom can use.
Gift 5: My mom used to say, “I am going to paint my car taxi cab yellow.” Moms of teens spend a lot of time in the car. Why not give your mom a cell phone holder with a little bling?
Gifts for Moms with Grandkids
Moms with grandkids are at a totally different phase of life. Whether they spend all their free time with family or spend their days traipsing all over the place, they’re grounded by the hard work they’ve put into building their family.
Gift 1: It’s time to travel and many seniors hit the road to explore the world they didn’t have the opportunity visit while raising kids. A travel jewelry case is great for on-the-go
Gift 2: My mom is always losing her keys and her phone. Giving her the gift of a Tile was one of the best gifts I have given her. A Tile has a tiny Bluetooth tracker and easy to use app that finds your phone, keys, and anything you don’t want to lose in seconds.
Gift 3: Kids to eventually leave the nest it’s not uncommon for them to go far. This pillow from Etsy will remind mom where her love lives.
Gift 4: Moms at this age often love their independence and freedom. With their low maintenance care, succulents make a great gift for the mom who wants some greenery in her home but isn’t looking for a huge commitment. Amazon sells a collection of succulents in collections of 10 to 256.
Gift 5: Moms with grandkids rarely have any new mom moments, making this cute gift with a fun message a fun idea. Plus she gets a new mug.
Moms, I salute you! You are my heroes. Thank you for the hard work you do to create remarkable people.
