Mother's Day Gift Guide

There are many different types of mothers, did you know that? There are moms like me – frazzled beyond belief most days just trying to hold it all together and corral the kids and the dog and hubby all at the same time so everyone gets where they need to be. Then there are the moms who appear to have everything together. The moms who are in their designer clothes, hair, makeup and nails absolutely perfect, and their kids all where they said they would be when they needed them to be. She makes being a mom and keeping everyone organized and on point as easy as pie.

Then there are our moms – the women who came before us and paved the way for us to be whomever, whatever, we wanted to be. From the celebrity moms to the political moms, from coastal moms to mountain moms and every mother in between. The moms who give their all every day to raise their children knowing right from wrong, who teach them that love and compassion will serve them better than anger and hatred as they grow older, we wish each of them a Happy Mother’s Day.

We also want to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to the moms who became moms much too early, the moms that know they are not capable of raising their child, the moms who are fighting a drug or alcohol addiction, or mental illness, or post partum depression, or dealing with a special needs child or multiple special needs children on your own – all hours of the day, all hours of the night, on sometimes nothing more than sheer adrenaline and 45 minutes of sleep – we understand. We understand, we see you struggling, we see you fighting to do right by your children, and we want you to know that you are not alone and wish you a Happy Mother’s Day as well.

To all of the moms who have adopted, we know that Mother’s Day is an extremely precious day for you as well now that your family feels complete. Finally, to the moms that no longer have a child to hold in their arms, that no longer have a child to sing to sleep, to kiss the tears from your child’s face, we offer a gentle embrace and a Happy Mother’s Day to you as well. Though your child may have been taken from this earth much too soon, you are still a mother, and we understand that Mother’s Day is always a bittersweet day for you.

And finally, the surrogate moms. The women who love children but have none of their own who take care of all the neighborhood kids. You know who I mean – the women who are always ready with a snack for a child who is hungry, the women who help a neighbor child out with needed school supplies. We can’t forget our actual surrogate moms either, who endure nine months of pregnancy to carry the child of another couple. What an amazing testament to moms everywhere and the capacity to love unconditionally like they do.

Celebrating These Wonderful Moms

Moms are one of the few creatures that give of themselves above and beyond their normal capacity, sometimes to the detriment of their own health and mental well-being, just so that they can provide for their children to give them what they need to be safe, warm, dry, and fed.

There are some mothers who are showered with love on a daily basis, still others are abused, beaten, raped and left for dead. Ignored by their children, screamed at by their spouse or partner, some mothers have just given up and Mother’s Day is nothing more than just another day for her to cook, clean, and cater to her ungrateful family’s every whim.

Whatever stage of “Mom” you may currently be immersed in, embroiled in, embraced in – remember that you matter. You are raising our next generation of leaders, scientists, teachers, astronauts, a Supreme Court judge, perhaps even a President.

Don't miss our Pinterest Gift Guide board for more great Mother's Day gift ideas!