The 6 Things Every Mom Really Wants for Mother’s Day

 

By Nohad Mouawad

 

Our calendar is filled with holidays, gift-giving occasions and celebrations, and I suppose that life would be dull and monotonous without these excuses to celebrate and thank those we love. This coming Tuesday, on the 21^st of March, is the much-anticipated Mother’s Day celebration across the Middle East and Arab world. Our little kids will be putting together sweet tokens, poems and crafts to thank us moms and tell us that we are loved. But what do moms really want for Mother’s Day? I’m here to set the record straight:

1. Sleep: Mothers across the globe know what it is like to be sleep-deprived. They say that sleep deprivation is actually a form of torture, and kids have been practicing this on their moms and dads from the minute they were born. All those sleepless nights waking up to feed, change and soothe your babies, as well as countless nights waking up with toddlers and sick kids, make most moms exhausted and running on coffee fumes. Don’t forget the early morning wake up calls to pack snacks and lunches, get ready before the kids need to be ready for school, or just being woken up between 5 and 6 am when your kids are little. If any kids or dads want to give moms a decent Mother’s Day gift, then they should give them the gift of a lie-in on a Saturday or Sunday morning complete with breakfast in bed, and the gift of knowing that they aren’t asked to do a single thing except rest.

2. Silence: The saying “silence is golden,” might sound really strange to a teenager or college student, but, once you become a parent, you are constantly wracked with headaches. The sibling fights, toddler tantrums, baby crying, and even the noise of loud conversations around the dinner table, leave all moms craving a minute or two of peace and blissful quiet. This Mother’s Day dads and kids can treat moms to an hour or two of alone time, by having a family activity (out of the house) without her. She will recharge her batteries, and everyone else just might miss her enough to behave themselves for 5 minutes when they get back home. For all the other days when she has to endure the screams and arguing, get her a great pair of wireless, noise-cancelling headphones. She will definitely thank you.
3. Appreciation: Most moms spend countless hours doing the most thankless tasks in the household. Whether it’s wiping up messes, preparing lunches, planning birthdays and playdates, or tidying messes that just get messed up again, a lot of mom’s work goes unseen and unnoticed. Putting together that last minute accessory for a child’s costume at 11 pm, remembering to schedule a dentist appointment, or reminding Zayn to take his instrument to school for music class, are all tiny details that keep each family’s world spinning on its axis. If mom didn’t do all this, nobody could do anything. Yet, mom rarely hears thank you or feels appreciated for all the things she manages and juggles. This year, families can thank their “Queen Mom” with a complimentary dinner at the Corniche in Abu Dhabi, Free flowers at Last Exit Al Khawaneej in Dubai, a Complimentary Meal at Café Society in Dubai Marina, or a Free gourmet 4 course dinner at The Mermaid A La Carte on Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi. At Rotana Resort & Villas on Saadiyat Island, moms also get a 250 dirham credit for food and drink. For families with a sporty mama, or a mum who just wants to take care of her body and health this year, give her personal training sessions with Enhance personal training.
4. Pampering: Moms and mums everywhere are constantly tending to the needs of their families, feeding them, soothing sick kids and giving them love and affection when they need it most. Now it’s time for family members big and small to give back to their mamas with a little pampering and caring. One way to do that is to learn to cook her brunch with Mamalu on Palm Jumeirah, and even get 35 dirhams cash back. Imagine mom’s face, when her little ones bring her perfect poached eggs and coffee on a tray on Mother’s Day morning. Another way to pamper your mum is to win her a gorgeous 18k gold and 5 diamond necklace from Hadine fine jewelry, with QiDZ, as well as an entire set of Korean premium beauty products. Enter the QiDZ Mother’s Day competition through the QiDZ app and website today!
5. A Real Day Out: When all you do is run, drive, and rush from one kid’s activity to the next. When you are barely surviving between drop off, the office, home and pick up, then all you want is a real day out that’s all about you! In Abu Dhabi there’s a wonderful Mother’s Day celebration at Teatro, where moms can experience fine dining and get a special gift and complimentary dish. In Dubai, mothers can be treated to a free Sunday roast at FireLake Grill House in Damac Hills and a 100 dirham spa voucher for Dreamworks spa. At M One Restaurant in Barsha Heights, mothers dine free from the 14^th to the 21^st of March.
6. Fun: Although moms and mums of the UAE want time to themselves, they also dream of fun outings with their families. By this I mean: fun outings with the kids with absolutely no arguing, crying or whining. Does this sound like too big of a dream? Well, there are a couple of special Mother’s Day activities to try that might just make everyone happy and a little calmer than usual. In Abu Dhabi, at Dhabian Equestrian Club, every Tuesday, little kids can ride small ponies in a relaxed environment, while mums and dads enjoy a coffee or tea. At EmiratesPadPro in Al Quoz, Dubai, they encourage moms and dads to book a Saturday playdate with their kids for some fun and laidback padel, tennis, badminton, basketball or another sport session. Either moms can do this as a fun activity with their kids, or dads can take the kids out for the day and mom can relax. Either way it’s a win-win!

This year on Mother’s Day, mothers everywhere are grateful to have wonderful families and lots of love, and they would love to have some gratitude and a special day in return.

 

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