With these eight tips you’re sure to put a smile on your mother’s face and show her how much you truly love and care about her.

1. Make her breakfast. I know it seems simple but that’s what makes it special. Get up a little earlier than usual (and yes that means before noon) and make her favorite breakfast, or whatever you can without burning down the house. Bring it to her in bed on a nice tray and maybe even add a pretty flower in her favorite vase.
2. Make her a card. This may seem cheap but I guarantee she’ll love it. Home-made cards trump store bought cards any day, as long as they’re special and come from the heart; plus they’re much more genuine than some generic card you find at the store. Channel your inner sappy teenage self and put them to work.
3. Clean up the house. No mother wants to spend Mother’s Day having to clean up, so on this one day out of the year pull out the broom, the mop and feather duster and put a little elbow grease into your present for mom; after all, she does do this 365 days a year (24/7). The least you can do is take one day off her hands.
4. Tell her you love her. You’re never too old to say it and trust me: she wants to hear it. It’s more than just three simple words to her. Pair them with a hug and you’ve officially made her day.
5. Buy her favorite candy or treat. It’ll show that you actually know a little something about her and if you don’t… find out. It can’t be that hard and it will mean a lot to her to get a cute bag filled with her favorite treats and goodies.
6. Rent her favorite movie. It may be some lame romantic comedy but I’m sure it’ll put a smile on her face. Want to go one step further? Watch it with her. It’s two hours, three hours tops, I think you can manage. And don’t be on your phone, at least make her feel like you actually want to be there.
7. Spend time with her. You may think she doesn’t like you and I’m sure at times you get on each others’ nerves, but she’s your mom. I’ve yet to find a mom who wouldn’t want to spend a little time with their child.
8. Leave her alone. Yes, this contradicts everything I just said, but Mother’s Day is a weekend long holiday, give her some time by herself. Let her take a nap or spend at least half the day in a clean, empty, quiet house. It will surely relax her and make your life and hers, that much better.

And don’t worry, these tips are good year ’round and work for just about any occasion you could possibly conjure up, good and bad. And if all else fails, you can never go wrong with a “Happy Mother’s Day Mom, I love you” and a nice big hug; that’s something anyone can afford and every mom wants to hear. Happy Mother’s Day.