The Best Gift You Can Possibly Give Mom

By Author: Nancy Twigg
Total Articles: 2
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Give Mom the gift she's guaranteed to love: the gift of time to herself!
Several year ago I polled a large group of moms to find out what they consider to be the perfect Mother's Day gift. Again and again, the sentiment I heard was the same. What mothers appreciate more than any gadget or gizmo is the one thing they never have enough of: time to themselves. If there's a mother on your gift list this Mother's Day, why not put your creative thinking skills to work? Figure out a way to give her a little time to call her own. I promise she'll love you for it! Here are a few ideas that are simple, inexpensive and time-oriented: *Volunteer to take the kids for a weekend trip so she can have the house to herself for a two whole days of quiet rest and relaxation. Pick the kids up from school on Friday afternoon and don't come back until Sunday evening. For trip ideas that are both fun and frugal, consider camping or visiting relatives. * If a whole weekend is too much, surprise her by taking her kids and taking off for an evening. Make your gift even more special by also presenting her with something to occupy this ...
... windfall of time: the newest issue of her favorite magazine, a novel by her favorite author, or a video you know she'd love. * Give her a coupon for a whole week off from cooking dinner. You and the kids do all the preparation, serving and clean up. Let her relish the rare opportunity to enjoy her meals without worrying about how the food got to the table or how the dirty dishes will leave the table when she's done. * Write an IOU for one Saturday a month of housecleaning and watching the kids. Tell her that for the next six months, she'll have one whole day free each month to work on craft projects, spend time with friends or go shopping alone. If you're a mom reading this article, feel free to drop a few hints to family members if any of these ideas sound particularly appealing. And don't forget that dads enjoy time to themselves, too. You can easily modify these timely gift ideas to work for Father's Day gift-giving as well. About the Author Nancy Twigg is the editor of Counting the Cost, a free email newsletter about simple and frugal living. She is also the author of the new book, Celebrate Simply: Your Guide to Simpler, More Meaningful Holidays and Special Occasions. To learn more about living simply or celebrating simply, visit Nancy online at www.countingthecost.com