One beautiful Sunday once a year, our children and significant others celebrate our hard work and sacrifices. Maybe it’s with a noodle necklace, homemade card, breakfast in bed, or a lavish brunch, and fancy gift. That one day a year it’s about Mom… kinda.

YES we appreciate the sentiments, and idk anyone who won’t take a meal they didn’t have to make, or a homemade gift from their kid, but there are so many other things that top our lists.

I thought I’d create a short gift guide for Mother’s Day. The best part Dad is they are all FREE! That’s right guys! F R E E, Free! So if you’re in a bind today cuz you forgot it’s Mother’s Day this weekend I’m here to help. Besides, these are things we truly want more than that hour long lunch out with our wild children.

1. Let her sleep!

Whether it means you have to get up a little earlier to coral the toddler who climbs out of their crib and into your bed every morning, or you have to jump up and grab a bottle for the baby, I can assure you EVERY mother wants an extra hour in bed. She may not even have her eyes closed, but I assure you she will be thrilled to have some extra time to just lay there without anyone jumping on her or asking for something.

Picture getting off work, going to sleep, and when you open your eyes again you’re at work and the workday has already begun. That’s our day every, single, day. Do you know how long it’s been for us to since we could wake up and just relax in bed? Give her even 20 extra minutes and I promise she’ll be grateful.

2. Tag, you’re the snack bitch today!

Breakfast in bed is absolutely lovely. Brunching is divine. You know what’s even better? Not having to think about or prepare a single meal for one whole day!

I LOVE cooking. It’s one of my absolute favorite things to do…. but man some days I am just so over it! This whole pandemic thing has really made us moms become like personal chefs for our families.

If I’m not cleaning, I’m getting snacks or cooking yet another meal for my toddler and husband. Usually by the time it’s 3pm I’m realizing I haven’t had a chance to make food for myself!

I don’t care if it’s take out or home cooked. It could be cold cut sandwiches or frozen pizza for all I care; all that matters is she isn’t cooking a single thing. It’s just one day dads, I know you have it in you!

3. For the love of God, just leave her alone!

We love our families, more than anything in the entire world. That doesn’t mean that we don’t love our time alone.

Once we become mamas, it is so hard to find time to ourselves. From the second we become a mama our time becomes our children’s time. We are rarely alone, and if we are it’s usually while we’re running an errand or going to the doctor.

Let me be clear, that is NOT alone time.

Take the kids for an hour and leave the house, send her out to get her nails done and a coffee… give her ACTUAL alone time. True alone time is kid free, chore free, and errand free.

The goal here is that she actually has a small chunk of time to do something just for herself, without having to think of anyone else. That may look different for everyone. For me it would be a run all by myself outside, for another mom that may mean having the house to herself for an hour to catch up on all the Bravo shows she never gets to watch in one sitting anymore. Whatever it is, give her that hour and she’ll be a new woman!

4. Tell her how amazing she is.

I know you appreciate your wife, but she may not know that. I cannot tell you how many amazing mamas I know that think they are failing. I mean we’re all just doing our best, and somedays no matter how good of a mom you may be, you just feel like you’re the worst.

My husband excels at the love language “words of affirmation”. He knows exactly when I need to hear that I’m doing a good job the most, and I cannot tell you what a difference it makes for me in the moment.

Make sure to look at your wife on Mother’s Day and let her know that she is doing an wonderful job with your kids. Tell her how much you appreciate all she does. Tell her she’s beautiful even though she hasn’t brushed her hair or showered in a week. You may think she’s the best mom ever, but she may have no idea that she is.

There you have it, a list of completely free and completely perfect gifts you can give the mother of your children. If one of these isn’t what she wants, ask her what she truly needs right now.

Being a mother is a full time job, whether you are a stay at home mother or a working mama. Sometimes the greatest gift you can give us is a little break.

So for Mother’s Day, take something of her plate. I can’t tell you what a difference it will make in her day.