The mother-child relationship can be one of the most complicated, and rewarding, of all relationships.
As any parent will tell you, the practice of raising a child can be extremely difficult, and mothers definitely deserve our thanks and praise.
And while it certainly isn't enough to appreciate her just one day out of the year, Mother's Day is a good start.
In honor of mothers everywhere, it is vitally important to appreciate all of the enormous sacrifices they have had to make for the sake of their children.
This exclusive list reveals nine all-important reasons to give your mother a giant "Thank you" on Mother's Day.
This certainly opened my eyes to just how important it is to give mothers our love and appreciation in return for all that they do…
Scroll through below for a beautiful reminder that on Mother's Day — and every other day of the year — we have so many reasons to say "Thank you" for all of the incredible things our moms have done for us!
#1: Thank You For Staying Up With Us
Whether rocking us back to sleep as babies, or comforting us during a terrible thunderstorm, our moms didn't get "time off," even in the middle of the night.
Of course, knowing that they were there for us whenever we needed them kept us feeling safe and secure.
And while we may never repay our mothers for all the late nights they spent with us, we can surely give them a big "Thank you."
#2: Thank You For Putting Us First
Our mothers consistently put us first, making us the number one priority in their lives.
This is not to say that our moms didn't have friends or social obligations. But taking care of us has always been more important than anything else.
Mother's Day might just be the perfect time for us to say "Thank you for always choosing me."
#3: Thank You For Keeping Us Fed
Our moms always knew that a full belly was a happy belly. This might have meant amazing dinners together at home, or even the occasional meal out.
And sometimes our moms would let us have the very last bite — even though they might still be hungry.
So it's likely time to give our mothers a big "Thank you" hug for keeping us fed for so many years.
#4: Thank You For Giving Up Your Quiet Time
As children, we might have been more than a little unpredictable, yelling in anger one minute and laughing gleefully the next.
But whatever our moods, we can be certain that we were often loud.
Our mothers understood that quiet time was rare and precious. But they were willing to give up on this quiet time to make sure we knew we were loved.
We might not shout or scream anymore as adults, but for Mother's Day, we can shout "Thank you for letting me be so loud!"
#5: Thank You For Letting Us Crawl In Bed
Sometimes we had nightmares, other times we simply missed being close to our mothers.
But nothing comforted us quite so much as our moms letting us crawl in bed with them.
Even when it meant giving up on "adult time," our moms gave us a safe and secure place to close our eyes and drift to sleep.
Mother's Day is a great time to give our mothers a large hug to show our appreciation for letting us cuddle up next to them.
#6: Thank You For Being There In Sickness And Health
These incredible women in our lives didn't get to take a day off from motherhood, even when they weren't feeling 100 percent.
A household with children is, by necessity, a household with germs. In spite of everyone's best efforts to keep the family healthy, colds and illnesses inevitably went around.
But our sick moms still fought through the sneezing and the sore throats to be there for us, which certainly deserves a huge "Thanks!"
#7: Thank You For Bringing Us Joy
Our mothers loved seeing a big smile on our faces.
Whether making sure there was a toy from Santa under the Christmas tree, or giving us a birthday cake so we could make a wish as we blew out the candles, our mothers thrived on bringing us joy.
Instead of trying to repay our moms financially for all the gifts or small gestures (which is likely impossible), we can repay them in spades with our undying love and appreciation this Mother's Day.
#8: Thank You For Spending Time With Us
Even if it wasn't their favorite TV show, our moms were willing to curl up on the couch with us and watch an over-the-top cartoon — sometimes for the 103rd time.
At the same time, our mothers shared their interests with us, playing us their music and read us some of their favorite books.
But at the end of the day, it was all about spending time together. This time is something we would never trade for anything in the world.
And maybe on Mother's Day we can even let our moms pick the TV show for a change.
#9: Thank You For Letting Us Be Ourselves
We know that as children we were often relentless balls of energy and vigor. And our mothers had to keep pace with us the whole way.
But they let us be our high-energy, creative selves, even if it cost them their sanity every now and again. Our mothers cultivated our interests and encouraged us to explore them.
Perhaps more than any other sacrifice, it is letting us be ourselves that deserves an enormous thanks.
So, on Mother's Day, all we really have to say is...
…thank you!
How do you show thanks to the mothers among your family and friends? What other things do you want to thank your mom for this year? Let us know in the comments!
Please SHARE if you think moms everywhere deserve love, respect, and appreciation!
