Happy Mother's Day

Once again Mother's Day is upon us and we Moms will be fortunate to receive tokens of love from our children (okay, so dads have a lot to do with this part). And while we love the gifts you give us, we really do, we secretly wish you could read our minds and provide us with a few things that would truly make us smile, at least for that day.


On behalf of all moms, I feel it's my duty to spill the beans that as much as we will ooh and aah over the bath soaps, cremes, new scarves, pictures and Dustbusters (yes, you read right - Dustbusters) that we receive, there are some things that we'd really like to get, but are afraid to ask for.


Flowers are great and all, but if you want to know what moms really want, keep reading.


My Top 5 Mother's Day Gift Ideas -For Real

1) Time Off - I think it's safe to speak for the League of Moms here. We are a tired lot. Yes, really tired - bleary-eyed is our normal state most days. For that reason, please help us have some much-needed time off so that we can sleep, watch TV or read a book. If this time off actually involves leaving the house alone, all the better.  I know personally, I would be thrilled with a couple of hours alone at Barnes & Noble with coffee and a good book. That or actually remaining asleep after the kids wake up. We will appreciate it more than you can imagine.


2) A Cleaning Service - Cleaning is a drag. There, I said it. I know many people actually like doing it, but I'm not one of them. I like clean, but I could do without the process. Take the load off of mom and hire someone else to do the dirty work, even for a day. She'll thank you for it. Trust me.

3) A Personal Chef - Coming up with breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas every day is a daunting task, especially when your children are fussy eaters, picky or prone to treating your kitchen like a restaurant. Ever ended up making two or three different meals at one sitting, just to make everyone happy and to assure that your children have eaten something? I have, and it's no fun. Mom wants a personal chef. If that's too lofty and expensive a goal, how about getting one for just one day? A day off from cooking alone would make mom really happy, guaranteed. Especially if they do the dishes too!


4) Laundry Person - Piles of steaming, dirty laundry are NOT what one wants to deal with at the end of the day, whether you're working outside the home or not. Please wash the clothes for us, just this once. While you're at it, kindly fold and put away the items, or get someone else to do it for us. Release us from our personal ring of laundry hell. Please. Even just once.



5) Personal Shopper (groceries) - Okay, when is this supposed to be done? If you're a stay-at-home-mom, you have to coordinate this in-between the little one's nap time, lunch and snack times and various other things. If you work outside the home, you have to do this after work when you are crabby and exhausted, your kids and spouse are hungry and the thought of stepping into a supermarket in your heels and power suit makes you want to rip your hair out strand by strand. It's never a good time, really. Get mom a day or two (or three) of personal grocery shopping and guess what? She will love you, at least for 24 hours. If all else fails, do it yourself or at the very least let her do it alone. Shopping without the kids can be a gift in and of itself.