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Here’s what moms say they really want for Mother’s Day

May 9, 2025

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and while well-meaning spouses and children often shower the mom in their life with flowers and candy, that’s not always what moms are quietly longing for on their day of celebration.

We put out a call for entries, asking moms what they (actually) want on their special day and invited them to submit their answers anonymously. While the answers varied, we definitely saw some common threads running through many of the answers: a little booze, a lot of alone time, a reprieve from bickering siblings, and no planning or organizing of any kind. Most of all, some extra time to sleep in, a handwritten note of appreciation and a clean house.

Here’s what moms had to say about their ideal Mother’s Day.

“The thing I would actually want is to stay in a hotel room by myself and get to lie in a bed with crisp, clean sheets and watch what I want to watch on TV. But I couldn’t ask for that because that would hurt their feelings. So I’ll probably get Starbucks cards and that works too!” — Anonymous

“All I want for Mother’s Day is for my kids to write me a letter or a card, and then to have no expectations of me. I’d love to drink coffee and eat a breakfast burrito, take a walk and have some wine with a book in the afternoon.” — M.

“I want to sleep in while somebody else cleans the house. I want snuggles and appreciation, a massage, delicious food that I didn’t cook, silence while I read a book and drink wine, and more snuggles and appreciation.” — R.

“I want no surprises. I want to not have to pretend about anything. I want him to take the kids and leave me in the house alone for hours.” — Anonymous

“Someone other than me to pack me a picnic with all my fav nibbles and drop me off at the beach for the day.” — Anonymous

“A night alone in an upscale hotel room where I can take an uninterrupted bubble bath and binge-watch a show and catch up with my book boyfriends and wear a comfy robe and order room service and sleep for 10 hours straight!” — R.

“It’s my first Mother’s Day with my newborn, and I’d love for someone to come over and give me a massage and do a pedicure and manicure. It’s hard leaving the house since my little guy is hungry every 1-2 hours.” — Anonymous

“I’d like to spend one more day with my mom. Just the two of us. And I’d say everything I never got a chance to say.” — Anonymous

“One full day where nothing is organized, executed or arranged by me.” — Anonymous

“A negroni in bed, and then being left alone all day.” — Anonymous

“Solo Spa day followed by a margarita.” — Anonymous

“A facial and Botox, or a hot stone massage, followed by my favorite dinner or lunch with my babies and husband. I can’t afford that right now, so we are going to do a family trip to the zoo and have a picnic lunch, soak in the sun and go home safe and sound and snuggle . . . until the kids fight and I ask for a martini.” — L.

“Wake up on my own leisurely time (after 8 a.m.) to breakfast made and the house clean. After we eat, we go on a hike as a family to a place that they have planned, and they have packed snacks and made lunch arrangements and then we go home and relax and hang out, and we order Thai food takeout for dinner. I would just like a day spending quality time with my family, where I am not responsible for planning everything, or cooking anything, or cleaning anything.” — K.

“I want to stay in bed til noon with coffee and a pastry alone, listening to podcasts or reading.” — Anonymous

“Sleeping in and being asked for nothing. A relaxing day of pampering, preferably with my favorite mom friends, and being showered with praise and gifts. Basically, what I do for my kids on their birthdays!” —N.

“To see my son who’s in the Navy and stationed far away.” — Anonymous

“An overnight stay in a hotel with room service. Love my family so very much, but an overnight stay somewhere BY MYSELF would be ideal.” — Anonymous

“I am a single mom. Working my tail off to stay afloat. I would love to have a day at Glen Ivy or Murrietta Hot Springs. To relax.” — Anonymous

“For Mother’s Day, all I want is for someone to watch my daughter for the entire day so that I can have crazy wild sex with my husband. Be babied by him with back rubs, head scratches and order fast food for dinner. In other words, I want a kid-free zone where us, the parents, can do whatever we want.” — Anonymous

“An outing with my two young adult daughters, a day filled with laughter and fun. I don’t care what we do. I’ll even pick up the bill! I do not want to stay home, and I definitely do not want to go to an overcrowded restaurant.” — Anonymous

“A handwritten love letter from my children.” — Anonymous

“Sleep in, wake up to a latte, and a CLEAN house. Cool air for a run, no coyotes. Homemade brunch with the family (because crowded restaurants are horrible), a hike, some radical self-care, a yummy dinner (that I did not plan, cook, or order), and good conversation. And TIME to do all of this easily, slowly and with quiet serenity. (As supposed to stressing about all the things.)” — Anonymous

“I would like a thank you from my husband and teenagers. I don’t just mean, ‘Hey, thank you.’ I mean like a list of specific things I’ve done that they are grateful for without any tweaks, sarcasm, or criticism. I do things without expecting gratitude (and we are a very funny family), BUT it would be nice to be acknowledged and feel seen. And it might teach me what ACTUALLY matters to them, because I don’t think it is clean dishes and paid bills.” — Anonymous

“A housekeeper for a day, no need to be anonymous, I want EVERYONE to know.” — Cindy Campoy

“I’m a widow, so a solo mom to two amazing young kids (13 and 10), it’s just the three of us, no family. My kids always feel so sad that they can’t do something or buy me something without me driving them, and knowing what they are picking up, and me buying myself the sweet gestures of their hearts. I always say I just want them, as they are truly my gifts, but I know their sweet hearts wish they could do something without me knowing.” – Margo R.

“What Mothers want? A day where she doesn’t have to referee any sibling arguments. A day where her coffee stays hot, her kids stay entertained, and her laundry folds itself, and the house magically is sparkling clean. A nap that lasts longer than a toddler’s attention span. A meal she doesn’t have to cook or clean up after. A shower without an audience (that includes pets) and maybe a moment of peace and quiet. Oh and lots of affirmation of her value and your love and appreciation. And her favorite thing? Your time. We don’t need things, we have you and that is our gift.” — Anonymous

“I don’t know if this counts, but one year, my husband and son set up a Bloody Mary crawl for me. We went from one gorgeous breakfast place to another so I could try a bunch of different Bloody Marys, which was my favorite drink at the time. I didn’t make it to all the locations (I think I crashed out after three bloodys), but that afternoon I had the best nap of my life.” — Maggie Downs

“For me, a day alone. No kids, no laundry and no worries. Literal quiet.” — Anonymous

Orange County Register

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Here’s what moms say they really want for Mother’s Day

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