Everyone experiences love differently, and it’s easy to miss the mark when it comes to showing that you care. With a little help from The 5 Love Languages, you can learn to give and receive love in more meaningful ways, and grow closer than ever. The 5 Love Languages are ways that a specific person likes to be shown that they are valued and loved. Think about the way the mom in your life likes to be loved, and look at the suggestions below to see if any of them fit your mom and your family.

1. Acts of Service

• Clean the house

• Make her breakfast in bed

• Help her prioritize self-care by treating her to a DIY relaxation kit including

  • A coloring book designed just for adults

  • A book she wants to read

  • Essential oils, etc.

  • Bubble bath ingredients

• Take the kids grocery shopping

  • Definitely less romantic than brunch, but she’ll appreciate the effort

  • Leave mom at home and bring a list. Nothing says “I love you” like Cheese Whiz, broccoli, spaghetti, and handling a tantrum in the cereal aisle

• Is there a project that mom has wanted to finish that you haven’t had the time to do yet?

  • Fix that squeaky hinge

  • Organize all the digital photos of the grandkids

  • Offer to purge the basement (which is probably filled with your stuff anyway!)

  • Work on it together with your kids, if possible

  • Take pictures of the process to show her

2. Receiving Gifts

• Ideas and gifts to make for mom

  • Help the kids put together a sheet of coupons of things they will do for mom (Some examples are a back rub, folding clothes, taking out the trash, serving breakfast in bed, cleaning a room)

  • Print off a “Fill-in-the-Blank” Book for the kids to customize

  • Help the kids make a craft just for mom

• Let her sleep in

  • Turn off her alarm

  • Leave her a note and some hand-picked flowers

  • Sneak out with the kids for a few hours in the morning

• Organize a family photo shoot

  • Surprise mom by booking a professional photographer to document her Mother's Day with a family photo shoot

  • Have the photographer meet you at a pretty local park or favorite area locale, or even just come to your home and take some shots in your "natural" environment.(Tip: Make sure mom will feel like both she and your home are camera-ready!)

  • Ask the photographer to take both posed and candid photos—sometimes the best pics are the ones that capture genuine moments between you, your wife, and the kids

  • Remember to use social distancing practices

• Mail mom a letter that she will get before Mother’s Day

• Students who are tech-savvy can put together a video

  • You could have people send in a family picture and make a highlight video to share with family and on social media.  iMovie is on iPhones and is a pretty simple way to make a video with audio and video

• Coordinate a Mother’s Day parade through your community:

  • Coordinate with family members or others in your neighborhood

  • Let families know you’ll be driving by their house. This gives them an excuse to get the kids outside for a few minutes

  • Take pictures and post them on social media

3. Words of Affirmation

• Kids and spouses take sticky notes and put them all over the house with things they love about their mom

• Have friends and family text her encouraging things throughout the day ... on the hour
  Use a mason jar and fill it with strips of paper full of reasons why you love your mom.  This is a great gift for several kids to give mom because everyone can add their own messages and sign them. Mom can read them all at once or savor them day by day ... however she pleases. She will read them over and over!

  • Use your age – “10 Reasons I Love You” 

  • Or her age – “38 Things I Love About You”

  • Share encouraging quotes, scriptures, short memories, and words of gratitude on small pieces of paper

• Meaning of her name: What does your mom’s name mean? Where is the origin? Research the meaning(s) of her name, type it out, and put it in a frame. It is a beautiful way to celebrate mom in all her fullness

• Make a sign with some of your favorite “mom quotes” and then write why that quote makes you smile on the sign

• Make a sign with her favorite scripture on it and share why that verse is perfect for your mom

• Write a chalk message about how much Mom means on your sidewalk

• Have your teenager create a Tik-Tok dedicated to mom

• Have everyone in the family put a “shout-out” video on social media telling three fun facts about their mom that makes her who she is

• Fill-in-the-blank questionnaires

4. Quality Time

• Do a scavenger hunt 

  • Driving

  • Walking

  • Around your home

• Make a fun recipe together 

  • Find a ton of great ideas right here!

• Watch your mom’s favorite movie with her

  • With younger kids, you can call it “cuddle time”

  • Do a snack bar with fake money

  • Drive-in movie: Sit in your car with a laptop and popcorn and watch mom’s favorite movie

• Family Game Night

  • Pick her favorite card game or board game

  • Download a fun game app like Psych!

• Give your mom an entire day off to be by herself

  • No cooking, cleaning, or details!

  • Take the kids out; leave mom at home

  • Take the kids to the park or on a drive

  • Radio silence is a must!

  • Unplug everything at home—and no phoning or texting her during her two-hour mini-vacation

• Plan a picnic

  • Pick her favorite spot

  • Or use the backyard

  • Let the kids help you make her favorite food and pack the basket

• Set up a Zoom Family Reunion

  • Call all of the moms in your family and have a zoom call with them

• Arrange a lunch date with her best friend

  • Make it a Mother’s Day surprise for two by conspiring with her friends and family

  • While the moms are out, get the kids to help you clean the house

5. Physical Touch

• Mom massages by kids

• Hugs on the hour

• At-home mani/pedi

• Kids and dads can give high fives or fist bumps every time they see mom.

• Cuddle during a movie or while telling your mom a story