Holding her month-old daughter, a dear friend recently said to me: Why doesn’t anybody talk about how hard motherhood is?
We both became moms through adoption. We didn’t birth babies, but we walked through our own (sometimes hard) stories to arrive at hospitals to meet the babies we would love instantly. We didn’t recover physically from births, but we still had to adjust to new seasons – seasons that involved less sleep.
I told her that her baby would eventually sleep through the night. They’d find a routine that works for them – and then it would probably change – but they’d settle in a rhythm.
That’s what moms do, find rhythms and go with it.
My friend asked for some books that would help the transition into motherhood. I immediately thought of several parenting books. And then I thought of some books that encouraged me to let go of guilt and the try-harder, do-more mentality that contradicts what Jesus did on the cross. Those truths apply well beyond motherhood, but it’s in motherhood I’m personally being sanctified.
In celebration of my friend and mommas everywhere, I started compiling a list of books. Oh, and, I ended up ordering her three of them and having them shipped directly to her doorstep because that’s what moms need.
Moms need you to show up with dinner. They need necessities – toilet paper, diapers, snacks, and books – to show up on their doorsteps. They need to be reminded it’s okay to be so incredibly grateful for the tiny person in their arms but so very tired from the lack of sleep at the same time.
Motherhood is hard. So let’s celebrate moms in ways that make life easier for them. {Tweet that.}
I know, Mother’s Day is in a few days. But I’m just getting around to putting together this post because motherhood takes time. Maybe there’s a mom in your life – your mom, your neighbor, your friend, the one you just met – who needs to be encouraged with a gift. The gifts obviously don’t have to come on Mother’s Day, because moms don’t really get to take days off.
Regardless, here’s some gift ideas (books included) that you could have delivered electronically or a few days late. These are the kind of gifts that say, “Look, I know this mothering business is hard, but you’re doing a good job. Here, have this, it’ll make your life a little easier.”
Boxed – I just placed a big order from Boxed that will be delivered to my doorstep. The enormous boxes will contain snacks, diapers, baby formula, dishwasher detergent, and laundry detergent. If you use the code 28SI6 when you sign up for Boxed, you'll save $10 on your first order. And then maybe you can make a mom you love really happy when essentials don't require a run to Walmart. Because, really, that's not what any mom want to do.
Amazon – Gifts cards for Amazon are welcomed because, hello, Prime Pantry and, again, the household supplies and groceries delivered to the doorstep. (That’s assuming the momma you love is a Prime member. But, if not, maybe you should sign her up!)
The Books –
- “Girl Meets Change” by Kristen Strong {Read my review}
- “Better Together: Because We're Not Meant to Mom Alone” by Jill Savage & Anne McClane {Read my review}
- “No More Perfect Moms” by Jill Savage & Kathy Koch {Read my review}
- “The Mother Letters” by Amber & Seth Haines {Read my review}
- “Women Are Scary” by Melanie Dale
- “You’re Loved No Matter What” by Holley Gerth {Read my review}
- “Anchored: Finding Hope in the Unexpected” by Kayla Aimee {Read my review}
- “For the Love” by Jen Hatmaker
- “Mothering from Scratch” by Melinda Means & Kathy Helgemo {Read my review}
(Did you know you can gift ebooks? See, you wouldn't even be late with the Mother's Day gift this way!)
Other ideas – gift certificates for cleaning or massages, subscription to those services that provide ingredients for meals and recipes, and time to rest.
What would you add to the list?
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