When it comes to putting other people first, mums are saints. Always looking out for their kids’ well-being, happiness and health, they can sometimes forget to give themselves the TLC they deserve. Being a mother puts strains on the body and the mind and can lead to increased incidences of many ailments, from headaches, to more serious sleeping problems. This Mother’s Day, show her you appreciate everything she does for you by giving a truly special gift: one that with her wellbeing, happiness and health at the core of it.
Good morning!
Start the day off by treating her to breakfast in bed, but no sloppy jam on toast or bacon butties here. Help Mum start the day with a delicious boost of vitamins and energy from a freshly blended smoothie, a fruit salad, or pancakes piled high with seasonal berries. She’ll be smiling before she’s even stepped out of bed.
Zest for life
Speaking of just-blended smoothies, there’s a whole host of fantastic kitchen gadgets which make healthy eating even tastier. Juicers, blenders and spiralisers are all fun to experiment with, and would make great gifts.
And breathe.
Working mums, full-time mums: either way, their plate is full and their minds and bodies are frazzled at the end of the day. Buy your mum the gift of calm, through relaxing and healthy exercises like tai chi or yoga. A weekend at a retreat would be sublime, but the next best thing would be a course of weekly classes that she can go to. A muscle workout, a stretch and a rest, and all that peace and quiet: she’s bound to enjoy the benefits!
A token of your affection…
Gift vouchers can seem so impersonal, so how about creating some specifically with your mum in mind? Think about the tasks she most dreads, on a daily or weekly basis. Does she spend hours every week just washing and ironing clothes? Or maybe she’s like a free taxi service for her teenagers, ferrying them from sports classes to sleep overs. Whatever her ‘albatross’, take it off her hands. Give her a booklet of “get out of laundry free” coupons, or “I promise to take the bus or walk instead of phoning you for a lift” coupons, and she will have some extra time to do something she really enjoys, like trampolining, going out for a run, or heading to a juice bar with a good book.
You’re booked!
Walking the dog, running on a treadmill or stretching in pilates: whatever her favourite exercise, make it double-value by getting her an MP3 player and downloading a range of audiobooks onto it. It will help the time to fly by, and she will look forward to her workout every time, to find out what happens next.
Soak it up
After intensive activity, the body can ache. Pamper your mum this mother’s day with some muscle soak bath salts and a CD of her favourite music, so she can unwind and relax after her busy day. She will feel refreshed and rejuvenated the next day!