Dedicated to The Mothers and Mother Figures
This week’s blog post is dedicated to all the mothers and mother figures! I know many of you are shopping for the mamas in your life, so I created a shoppable gift guide to help you check those special women off your list while feeling confident that you purchased something that they will cherish. You will also find a guide for how to best support a new mom or mom who recently had another baby. I turned to the OSE community on social media for help with that one, and the responses certainly did not disappoint.
I want to give a shoutout to my incredible mom. The one I pick up the phone to call first, the one that knows how I feel or what I need before I do, the one who has supported me through every single one of life’s journeys, the one who taught me how to be a loving hostess, the one who continues to teach me how to be poised, thoughtful, kind, and patient in everything that I do. I love you, Mom! Thank you for everything.
Before we move any further, it is important to me to acknowledge that while Mother’s Day is a celebratory day for many, it’s certainly a painful and difficult day for many others. I am sending my love to anyone who may need it as Mother’s Day approaches: Those who have lost moms or mother figures, those who have a broken relationship with their mom, those who are trying to become a mom, and anyone else. Don’t forget to check up on your loved ones who may need a bit of extra support on or around Mother’s Day.
Let’s discuss supporting new moms and special Mother’s Day gifting options, shall we?
Etiquette is truly about being mindful of others needs and being intentional about having someone feel valued and cared for. New moms or moms who recently gave birth or adopted a child are no exception to this. Because I am not a mother yet, I turned to my incredible OSE community on social media to share their favorite ways to care for a new mom, OR the most meaningful action or thing they received as a new mom. The responses were truly touching, although I am not surprised. I collected each response (many were repeats!) to create a guide that you can reference whenever you may need to.
The Best Ways to Support a New Mom/A Mom Who Just Had a Baby
Make a meal or set up a community meal train
Tip: Rather than asking a new mom what type of food she needs or wants and a good time to drop it off (she doesn’t need to make any more decisions right now!), ask “What is a good day to drop off dinner to your doorstep, and should I be aware of any allergies/dietary restrictions in your home?Gift card for a blowout, manicure, or other self-care service
Take other children to after school activities / get them out of the house for a bit
If you are running a specific errand, ask the mom if there is anything she needs from that store
Special gift for the mom
Ask her what household task you can help with / offer to come wash and fold laundry
Check in and offer words of encouragement and support
Drop off a care basket with easy-to-open snacks for the mom
Offer to have her car detailed
Provide freezer-friendly meals
Offer to gift a cleaning service
Offer to come and sit with the baby so the mom can have some time to herself
OSE’S MOTHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE:
For an additional Mother’s Day gifting option, I want to share one of my favorite companies in gifting and that is Dare Gift Boxes. If you’ve been a part of the OSE community for a while, then it is likely you know about Dare Gift Boxes. I share their incredible gifting options each year around the holidays, and they have expanded to many other options outside of the holiday season. Their carefully curated Mother’s Day gift boxes are unique, thoughtful, and accessible for a range of budgets. Here are a few of my favorites:
Some perks of shopping with Dare Gift Boxes:
You can purchase today and delay the shipping so it arrives closer to Mother’s Day
You have the option of leaving a gift message which the Dare team will hand write and place inside your box
You also have the option of including a special photograph that the team will put inside the box!
The deadline for Mother’s Day Shipping is May 6th, and you can use code OLDSOUL for 10% off your order.
