In February 2024, I conducted a survey of mothers of children aged 7 and under to figure out what moms really want for this Mother’s Day.
What may be most interesting is that the responses were almost identical for mothers who exclusively do the unpaid work of caring for their children and for mothers who have full time paid work. Our respondents had an income mix of <$50k annual household income to well over $300k, and again, the trends held the same. Moms of young children have many of the same feelings, thoughts, needs, and desires, regardless of their circumstances.
So, what would make moms of young children feel the most seen and appreciated this Mother’s Day? Something that makes her feel seen for her whole self beyond who she is as a mother, and something that lightens her load.
What Should You Gift Her This Mother’s Day
The majority of the moms we surveyed believe a physical gift, experience gift, and service gift can make them feel equally seen and appreciated. The most important part is the thoughtfulness behind the gift, not the type of gift.
Physical Gifts
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A gift that supports her hobbies - 70%
Why? feeling seen for who she is outside of being a mother, and you remembering her personal hobbies, is very meaningful.
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Clothing and accessories to get her style back - 38%
Most moms in our survey put their sense of style, hobbies, and self on the back burner for some time. 40% of moms under 7 said they are in the low-sleep high-needs years of motherhood (thank you, Rhea Grogan for that term) and don’t have a strong sense of style, self, and hobbies right now. Another 44% said they are just coming out of that phase and exploring those topics again. A great way to get her style back is with The Poppy Bag.
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A gadget she has wanted - 35%
Some favorites were the Dyson air wrap, Apple Watch, Coravin wine preservation system. Pay attention to the gadgets she wants but doesn’t want to splurge on for herself
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Flowers or a plant - 35%
Classic, maybe even cliché, but still considered a thoughtful gesture. The best place for flowers, in my opinion, is Trader Joes. If you don’t have time to go pickup flowers, order some through Amazon!
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Jewelry - 34%
Specifically jewelry with meaning for her kids or her relationship. Birthstones, initials, and engraved dates are all great ideas. I have and love this necklace with my husband's and each of my kid's initials and a diamond stone in 14K gold.
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The Poppy Bag - 18%
This was not a survey of Poppy’s audience, so to see 18% of respondents choose this option shows how most moms with their youngest kiddo aged 0-4 years old are ready to ditch the diaper backpack for something that is more minimalist, stylish, yet still functional.
Acts of Service Gifts
Lightening her load by completing a task on her list, and creating a space that is organized and reduces her day-to-day stress, is the most appreciated type of gift, according to our survey,
- 27% - Getting her car detailed.
- 27% - Deep cleaning the house (either yourself, or hiring a cleaner).
- 24% - Organizing a girl’s experience, like brunch with her best friends.
- 20% - Organizing an area of the house that has needed it, like the garage or a closet.
Experience Gifts
Organizing brunch for her and her friends would be a great idea. A massage, facial, or spa day for her to go solo or with friends was a top choice. Organizing that for her and taking the planning off of her plate is a great gift.
What Not To Get Her
The worst gifts: A candle or a gift mainly for their child, like a new stroller. Even if she has been goo-goo-eying the Wonderfold wagon, now is not the time.
Also, she doesn’t want a date with just her partner for Mother’s Day. If you plan something, plan to do it as a family or for her to go solo or with her friends. The vast majority of moms say they wish they had more time with their partners (76%) but Mother’s day is not the time. Focus on her this Mother’s Day.
How Should You Spend The Day
The majority of moms feel that they do not have enough child free time (74%). Most moms want part of their Mother’s Day with their family, and part of the day to themselves or with friends. Only 4% wanted the full day to themselves and only 8% wanted the full day to be with their family. So it’s a pretty safe bet to assume that you should plan something to do as a family, and then take the kids to do something so she gets some time to herself.
If given half a day to do whatever they want, child-free, 57% know exactly what they’d want to do and 43% have no idea what they’d do, but know they’d figure it out if they were given the time to do so. That might feel hard to understand, so as a mom in this phase myself, allow me to try to explain.
It’s almost like sitting down at the Cheesecake Factory, starving. You’ve seen their menu with 250 items, right? You’re so hungry that it feels impossible to figure out what to order. So, you waste a lot of time looking at the menu. But not knowing what to order doesn’t mean you don’t want to eat. Sometimes, the only way to figure out what you want to eat is to sit down in a place where food is available and to see what smells good as it walks by. So give her the time and space to do what she’s been dying to have the time and space to do, or just as important, gift her the time and space to figure out what it is she wants.
The Takeaway
You'll nail this Mother's Day if you remember that the most important part is that she wants to feel seen by you.
- Gift her something that lets her know you see her for who she is outside of her motherhood.
- Do something for her that lightens her load and adds ease to her day-to-day.
- Provide space for an experience of balance on Mother's Day with time together with her family and time for herself.
