So it's May 4th and you still have a whole 4 days before Mother's Day, so if you are like my husband, you still have at least 3 days left before you need to think about Mother's Day. But humor me and pay attention...just in case you want to plan ahead. If you want to be an amazing husband, here's what you need to do on Mother's Day. Be Mom.
Yep, that's it. Now, making her breakfast, buying her flowers, and getting the kids to make something for mom would be amazing, too. But really, the core of the gift is to be mom for the day. Many of you may feel confused by what this really entails, so I'll be specific about your duties for the day.
1. Get up with the kids and take care of them while mom sleeps in.
This step probably needs some additional direction (if you are anything like my husband). Getting up with the kids doesn't mean getting out of bed, handing the kids a bag of Lucky Charms and then falling asleep again on the couch and secretly hoping the kids forget you are there. It means you feed them something relatively nutritious (to avoid unnecessary sugar highs). You make sure they take vitamins, medicines, etc....the things that are a part of the daily routine that you likely believe are mom's job to enforce. Make sure breakfast is cleaned up - very important part of the process. And then, supervise. Yep, that means you referee, manage messes, generally engage with the kids while mom rests.
2. Take care of the daily chores
This includes unloading the dishwasher, feeding the pets, running a load of laundry, making sure you have food to make lunches for Monday, etc. These are very thankless jobs that it's easy to assume "someone" will take care of. But if you want to be mom for the day, you should assume you are the "someone."
3. Make sure the kids are dressed and ready for the day
Despite popular belief, young children don't usually initiate putting their clothes on or brushing their teeth. They have to be given clothes, asked (often repeatedly) to put on given clothes, and then, supervised to ensure they complete the hair and teeth brushing process. One of the favorite parts of moms' days is being the "bad cop" and managing this grueling process. So dad, you will be a hero by being the "bad cop" for a day.
4. Plan the day
This one is critical. We need you to decide what we are doing that day. Are we going to church? Are we going to brunch (did you make a reservation)? Are you cooking? Are we going somewhere else? Being the leader and decision maker is a tough job - lots of critics, few helpers. So dad - give mom the gift of letting her be the critic for the day.
5. Manage the children
Now this one may sound confusing. You may be thinking - don't I always do that? I'm the dad. But to be specific, this one includes making the kids pick up their toys, enforcing rules about TV and tablets, refereeing sibling fights, making sure children make it through parking lots safely, etc. Basically, think about what the kids are doing or need all day and worry about what you want to do after the kids are in bed. That will cover it.
6. Prepare for the next day
Last but not least, prepare for tomorrow. A popular misconception is the day is over when the kids are in bed. But no, Monday morning will come fast and furious and if you aren't prepared, the day could unravel early. So Sunday night includes making sure homework is complete, backpacks are packed, the right clothes are laid out (is it a PE day?), and lunches are made.
There you go - 6 simple things that require no money or even pre-planning that will make the mom in your house the happiest mom in the neighborhood on Mother's Day!
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