Every Dad Needs To See This Foolproof Guide To Buying Mother's Day Gifts

Mother’s Day is less than a month away! And surely, the majority of men haven’t even begun to think about what to do or get for the mothers of their kids, but there is still time! And because we’re so nice (and we don’t want Mom to be let down), other moms are doing their best to help out dads who run the risk of totally screwing up Mother’s Day.

Content creator and mom, Dom Martin, put together a simple and to-the-point guide for what to actually get moms for Mother’s Day because candles and a new robe are not cutting it!

While holding her laptop to the screen, Martin presents a quick slideshow entitled “Gifts Moms Actually Want For Mother’s Day,” filled with great ideas of what to get and what not to get mom this year.

“We're going to talk about the do's and don'ts of gift giving for moms. For the do's, you want to plan ahead. Do not wait till the last minute, you will regret it,” she notes.

“You also want to personalize a gift. Think about what they really want, which brings me to number three — pay attention. This is somebody who birthed a kid on your behalf. You should probably know what they like and what they don't.”

Then, she moves on to what not to do.

“Now let's talk about the don'ts. Let's start with ‘mama.’ I'm going to hold your hand when I say this: If she wanted something that said ‘mama’ on it, she probably already bought it for herself. At this point, it's low-hanging fruit,” she said. “Now, there is a proper way to do said ‘mama’ gifts, but just to be safe, I would lay off of this one.”

She also says that “anything cleaning-related” needs to be avoided at all costs.

“It's giving Cinderella. It's giving ‘clean up after me.’ Not ‘I love you,’” she notes.

This is so very true! Do not gift anything cleaning-related until she asks for it! However, hiring a cleaning service to come or something...that’s a different story.

“Number three, we're not going to search on Amazon — ‘mother's day gifts.’ Anything that comes up on that list, I guarantee you — she does not want,” she says.

Dom is not wrong. A quick “mother’s day gift’ search on Amazon will populate the most ugly and useless gifts that I have ever seen in my life, including personalized blankets, a picture frame that says “mom” on it, and an insulated mug that says “Sometimes you forget you're awesome, so here’s your reminder” in Comic Sans...

Lastly, Dom begs you not to take your best guess as to what she might want for Mother’s Day,

“...this is somebody that you know very deeply and personally. You should know what they want,” she says. “Number five, and I cannot stress this enough because I've already pointed it out once, but we're not going to procrastinate. If you're seeing this video, you have weeks to prepare...”

In another post, Dom provided the actual slideshow, including ideas and tips for how to make Mother’s Day extra special for mom. She broke up each slide into different categories. First up: Self-Care.

“Think about things that will elevate her self-care routines! Is there a brand she's been dying to try, but it's pricey? Has she run out of something that she LOVES?” she questions.

Next, beauty!

“Sephora sale JUST ended! I'm sure there's something she left behind, but wishes she didn't! Again, has she run out of anything recently? Is there a product she's been dying to try? Has she washed her makeup brushes recently? Maybe it's time for some new ones!” she wrote.

If you really want to lean into the “mama” or “mom” theme, Dom suggests a very specific way to do it: “If you're going to do a "Mom" gift, Make sure its not generic! A personalized frame or sweatshirt is a great choice, if it's unique! If she's a new mom, she probably really wants the "mama" stuff but add something extra to it! There are lots of Etsy shops that will make these using an old onesie, for example...” she wrote.

Moving onto my love language: acts of service, aka do something for mom that she doesn’t want to herself!

“Hire a cleaning service to do a deep clean of the house, SO SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO! Get her car detailed! and for the love of God, vacuum those carseats! A spa day is also a nice option, but be sure to let her pick the day/time and DON'T INTERRUPT HER! acceptable alternatives: A nap, a break, silence :),” she advises.

Does your wife have any particular hobbies? Dom suggests you lean into that! Build upon her hobby and get her something that interests her!

“She likes to read? Pay for a year of Kindle Unlimited. She's a runner? New trainers or headphones! She's a coloring girly? You can never have too many coloring books, and @bobbiegoods just restocked! Come on now, act like you know this girl!!”

That seems to be the common theme, right? These gifts are less about the act of giving a gift and more about what those gifts say about how much you love and know the mother of your child.

Oh, also, Dom put together a Gifts Moms Actually Want For Mother’s Day Part 2, if you’re interested!