Daddy Days: A Mother’s Day gift guide for dads

The headline says it all and I’m here to help. I’ve been doing the whole dad-assisted Mother’s Day thing for over a decade now, so I have some experience with this particular holiday.

First off, this is not some made-up holiday that’s optional like Boxing Day or Valentine’s Day. Well, actually, it is a made-up holiday but it’s definitely not optional, dads, so snap to it.

Especially in those first 10 to 12 years, you can’t depend on the kids to handle Mother’s Day and you need to have a plan. If you’re eagerly reading this column for ideas and Mother’s Day is Sunday, I have bad news and good news. The bad news is you failed rule number one and didn’t have a plan. The good news is it’s not too late.

For the early years, the bar is super low. Let’s be honest guys, the first Mother’s Day is the easiest. Your wife is less than one year from having the baby and particularly susceptible to the emotions of the first Mother’s Day. Which means you can only mess it up if you forget about it. So don’t forget.

Get her flowers and a onesie for the baby that says, “I love my mom,” and you’re golden. Really, in those first few Mother’s Days, anything you do to recognize all she’s doing as a mom — even just saying those words out loud and getting her flowers are great. Pro tip: don’t just do this only on Mother’s Day.

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When you move into the category of Mother’s Day gifts from 3- to 6-year-olds, don’t sleep on the handmade crafts. Oh, they will be terrible. And if left up to the child they will always, and I mean ALWAYS, involve paste and/or excessive finger paint. But moms appreciate the love those messy little paste lickers put into their creations, so lean into the homemade stuff in these years.

In the 7- to 10-year-old age range, the kids will have somewhat of an understanding of what Mother’s Day is all about. Getting the troops on board with having a clean house or involved with how they can make mom a special Mother’s Day breakfast are great ideas at this age.

Making mom a special breakfast that involves breaking her special dishes or feeding her burnt toast aren’t ideal, so dad has to know when a task can be delegated and when it can’t.

The 7-year-old and older age can be a good time to experiment with kid-picked Mother’s Day gifts as well. Going to a store and letting a kid look around and get something they think mom will like can lead to some fantastic and very personalized gifts.

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It also can also lead to a mom getting 78 coffee cups. Maybe this is only a thing with my kids, but they have never seen a coffee cup they thought their mom wouldn’t love. You may have to suggest and redirect a little.

The truth is, Mother’s Day isn’t about the gifts. Or the pampering. Or even the clean house. Mother’s Day is a feeble attempt to show moms how much they’re appreciated for what they do day in and day out. Dads are often the facilitators and conduits of this by helping direct their naturally self-centered kids to recognize the gratitude they have for their mom.

And that’s the real gift a dad is giving with those dad-assisted Mothers Days early on. He’s setting a precedent for the kids to take guidance from when they’re older and planting the seeds of gratitude early.

Harris and his wife live in Pflugerville with their seven children. Please email comments or suggestions for future columns to thoughtsforcaleb@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Daddy Days: A Mother’s Day gift guide for dads