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Whether a mom is a working mom or a stay at home mom, odds are that she is overwhelmed! She’s not just mom, but she’s chef, counselor, chauffeur, and hundreds of other specialties wrapped into one person. Even if she isn’t explicitly screaming in your face that she is overwhelmed, she probably is. In fact, moms are reported to be some of the most stressed out people in society. To put it simply, moms need help relaxing, and by golly they can’t do it alone.
Giving an overwhelmed mom a perfect gift is a so much more than just getting on Amazon and adding to cart. It’s considering what can actually help take some of the physical and mental load off of her shoulders. Here I’ve compiled 10 of the best gifts for any overwhelmed mom in your life. Some are simple “add to cart” gift ideas, and some will take some intentionality and planning on your part. But regardless, they’re gifts that can truly help busy moms through an overwhelming time.
The Gift Of Sleep and/or rest
A good nights sleep isn’t just something a tired mom to a newborn need, but all moms need. Prolonged lack of sleep can have detrimental effects on the body, and even if a stressed-out mom isn’t saying anything about it, she’s probably feeling those effects. Giving her the tools for a good nights sleep can be an invaluable gift to give any overwhelmed mom.
Sound machines aren’t just a good gift for babies, but for moms as well. Sound machines help to block out any white noise that happens at night, which is typically the kind of noises that wake us up. Yogasleep makes the absolute gold standard of sound machines, and they’re by far my favorite!
Don’t stop at just a sound machine though! Go above and beyond! Consider offering her a night off from kid-duty by babysitting or finding a family member to babysit. Even a couple hours off for her to take a nap can make a difference in her exhaustion.
The Gift Of Sweet Silence
To put it simply, kids are noisy! Even when they sleep, they can be noisy. And many moms may not even realize just how overstimulating that noise can really be. Giving an overwhelmed mom the gift of peaceful silence can be a beautiful relief from the constant sensory overload.
I’ve been a long time user of earplugs to help with the sensory overload at the end of the day. The Loop earplugs are so effective at blocking out excessive noise. This super cute Bluetooth headband is also a great option for those who don’t like the feeling of earplugs.
The Gift Of A Meal She Doesn’t Have To Prepare
Preparing meals is a monumental task for any parent, but add that to an already overwhelmed mom’s plate and she just might explode. Giving her a meal she doesn’t have to prepare is hands down one of the kindest and generous things you can give a mom. I’ve had many times I’ve been totally over my head as a mom, and getting a home cooked meal is hands down the best thing I’ve ever been given in those moments.
There’s quite a few unique ways you can gift a mom with home cooked food. Obviously, you can just cook something and take it to her, or even give a meal delivery service gift card like Doordash. Here’s a few other options:
Meal Train – An online meal train coordination app that allows people to schedule meal deliveries to your home. I’ve mostly seen this used for new moms, but it can honestly be used in any situation. Work with some friends or other community members in providing home cooked food for an overwhelmed mom.
Hellofresh – Offers a huge variety of different meals, with all the ingredients already selected and prepped. All you have to do is follow the directions and cook it. New members get fantastic deals.
Homechef – Very similar to Hellofresh, but a little more affordable.
The Gift Of A House She Doesn’t Have to Clean
Keeping the home clean has been shown to be one of the most stress inducing things a mother endures every day. Even though I’m the kind of person who tends to just embrace the mess, other moms feel deep overwhelm and shame when they see their messy house. Giving them the tools and assistance to clean up their house can be a gift they will never forget.
Consider paying for a gift certificate from a local cleaning service. Heck, you could show up yourself and clean their house, which is a wonderful personal touch! Even if cleaning their entire house isn’t an option for you, any overwhelmed mom can think of at least one thing you can help them with. If you’re looking for something a bit more techy and bougie, Roomba’s are always a win!
The Gift Of Mindful Relaxation
Being overwhelmed is such a nuanced experience. Sometimes it’s because you’re tired, and other times it may just be that there’s too much stuff to do, and none of it being stuff you want to do. Giving an overwhelmed mom the gift of relaxation is a fantastic gift to give.
Honestly, most people’s coping mechanisms when it comes to conquering overwhelm are not very effective. Most people tend to binge tv shows, or scroll social media, or having a glass of wine one too many times. Those coping mechanisms may feel good in the moment, but they don’t always result in feeling more relaxed. In fact, some of those coping mechanisms can cause more problems than solve. Offering an overwhelmed mom some simple stress relief gifts to relax and take her mind off things is a beautiful gift any mom can use.
I absolutely LOVE adult coloring books exactly for this reason. Doing art is a beautifully effective tool in unwinding after a challenging day. There’s also so many choices out there, from devotional coloring books to books specifically for postpartum mothers, you can probably find a coloring book for any occasion!
You can also offer to pay for a year of a meditation and mindfulness app, such as Calm.
Another super useful mindful tool is swapping out the reheated coffee for a cup of tea. Regardless of how often an overwhelmed mom may need to reheat their tea throughout the day, certain blends of teas are very effective in promoting calm. Yogi makes some of my favorite herbal teas. All of these teas are so delicious, you don’t even have to be a tea lover to enjoy them!
There’s honestly so many mindful relaxation gifts you can give a mom, so here’s a few other ones to consider:
- A good book (I get my books from Thriftbooks)
- Essential oils and an essential oil diffuser
- Bath bombs and bubble baths
- A spa day
The Gift Of A Good Laugh
A little bit of self-deprecating humor can go a long way! Moms who are overwhelmed often feel like they’re doing a terrible job at parenting. This book isn’t just absolutely hilarious, but it’s also encouraging. A good laugh is always a wonderful gift to give.
The Gift Of Restorative Self Care
Self care is definitely the buzz word of the 2020’s, but it’s important to remember that all self care isn’t created equal. Like I mentioned earlier, binge watching and phone scrolling feel good in the moment, but it’s not as restorative of self care as others.
Journaling is an excellent way to wind down after a challenging day. These beautiful wellness journals from Ivory Paper Co. have daily guided prompts that help you think mindfully about your day. This is a great gift for moms who want to have the benefits of journaling without all of the work.
This postpartum guided journal is also a beautiful tool specifically designed for postpartum moms. This guided journal provides six weeks worth of prompts to help any mom through the daunting work of bringing a newborn into the world.
I’ve also created a 365 Days of Gratitude journal that takes all of the guess work out of gratitude journaling. I wrote this with the busy mom in mind. In my journal I have an entire years worth of gratitude-inducing prompts that will help you find the brighter side of any day without actually having to think too hard about it. Gratitude journaling has a slew of mental health benefits, and my 365 Days of Gratitude journal takes all the grunt work out of it, leaving overwhelmed moms with just the fun beneficial stuff! You can get my gratitude journal from The Overcoming Mom shop.
The Gift Of A Day (Or Night) Off
Being a mom is truly a 24/7 job, even if they’re a working mom. Just like how in a traditional job you get paid time off or vacation time, moms need something along those lines too. Yet societally, moms are often made to feel like crap for needing a day off, or even just a little break, from their mom duties. Instead of waiting for her to beg for a babysitter so she can have some time to herself, offer it to her yourself! If a regular employee can be given paid time off, then surely you can offer a mom some mom time off (or MTO, if you wish.)
Offer to babysit for her kids, or help her find a trusted babysitter through a service like care.com. However you offer to give her some well deserved time off, it will most certainly be appreciated.
The Gift Of Friendship And Community
Moms have been noted to be some of the loneliest people in our society. That can be surprising, given that moms typically spend their days never alone, always being followed by tiny people. Yet many moms get little to no interaction with adults outside of their jobs or other obligations. We as humans were never meant to do life alone, so giving a mom the gift of friendship and a community of like minded people is truly a valuable gift.
Peanut is a wonderful app that connects you with other like minded moms in your area. It’s kind of like Tinder, but for finding mom friends instead of dates. The Peanut app also offers a safe space to ask questions and get feedback from other moms in the same boat.
Another great place to find like minded people is on Meetup.com. You can find lots of different local interest groups for just about any interest there is. Plus it’s very simple to start one on your own.
The Gift Of Consistency
Consistency is not only the least expensive thing you can give an overwhelmed mom, but probably the most important as well. The life of a mom is constantly changing. Her kids are growing at a breakneck pace, she’s having to be flexible with every slight change to demeanor and personality her kids have, and she’s feeling the pressure to keep up with everyone else around her. This constant change can leave anyone feeling jarred. Being a consistent source of encouragement, help, and friendship is so much more valuable than any monetary thing you can get a mom.
Be the kind of friend who sends a text asking how she is regularly. Or perhaps the friend who sets up regular outings, or sends funny memes and TikToks for a good laugh. In a moms ever changing landscape, being a consistent friend is a great way to ease the consistent tension in a moms life.
