The chaos surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic can make it easy to forget that Mother’s Day is just around the corner. What’s more, due to the threat of the virus, it can be a challenge to do something nice for Mom on her special day.
With lockdowns and stay-at-home orders in place, you certainly can’t take your mother out to dinner or treat her to a day at the spa. But what you can do is show that you care through labors of love. Thoughtful gestures and acts of service often mean much more than material items, especially during these trying times.
With that in mind, let’s go over some of the ways you can make Mom feel great this Mother’s Day. All you need is ingenuity and a little elbow grease.
Although Mom may love her car, she probably doesn’t enjoy spending her time cleaning and servicing it. That’s why, for Mother’s Day, you might want to consider taking care of some of the maintenance tasks Mom has been avoiding.
Here are a few ideas:
Is Mom’s daily driver long overdue for a bath? Instead of visiting one of those lackluster gas station car washes, give her ride the full treatment with an at-home wash and detail.
Start by washing the vehicle with a high-quality car wash soap. Next, dry the exterior, then use a clay bar kit to clean and polish the paint job. Finish it off by applying a detailing product to the exterior trim, adding a coat of wax, and taking care of the wheels and tires.
To learn more, check out our extensive exterior detailing guide.
Everywhere you go, people are carrying hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. But it’s easy to forget about disinfecting one of the most commonly touched places—the interior of your car.
As such, to help protect your mom or wife from the COVID-19 virus, it’s a good idea to clean and disinfect the cabin of her car. You can read our interior detailing and disinfecting guide for information on the proper steps and safety precautions needed to do a thorough job.
While you’re cleaning the interior, you might want to consider organizing it as well. If your mom or wife is like most people, she probably has a hodge-podge of items strewn throughout the cabin.
Getting all of those things organized will make her car a much more enjoyable place to be, whether she needs to go on supply runs, take business calls, play rocket ship with the kids, or just have a few minutes of Mommy Meditation Time.
A lot of vehicles are missing out on routine maintenance due to stay-at-home orders—and Mom’s car might be one of them.
Check to see if her vehicle is up-to-date on service. If you find anything in need of attention, go ahead and take care of it. For example, you might end up changing the oil and oil filter, swapping the air filter or cabin air filter, or throwing on a new brake disc and pad kit.
Keeping your mom’s ride in tip-top shape is a great way to show her you care.
Has Mom been driving around with the “check engine” light on? Or ignoring abnormal noises from her car’s undercarriage?
Gently remind her that disregarding warning signs such as these is a bad habit that can lead to big-time problems.
Then, swap out that faulty mass airflow sensor or blown shock absorber—or whatever the car may need—to keep Mom safe and comfortable.
Shop for the parts Mom’s car needs here:
Maybe Mom’s car is in primo condition because she’s already cleaned it, detailed it, and taken care of all the mechanical upkeep.
Then what do you do for Mother’s Day? Here are some suggestions:
Whether Mom looks forward to that Dutch baby or prime rib from her favorite spot every year, she’s probably disappointed you won’t be able to go there this time around. So why not make her favorite meal at home?
These days, you can get almost any recipe online—including those that mimic the culinary creations from well-known restaurants. Find out what her favorite dish is (if you don’t know it already), research copycat recipes, and make it for the entire family to enjoy.
If it’s the ambience that she loves, you and the family can also work together to recreate the experience of her favorite restaurant at home with things like candles, string lights, paintings, and jukebox-worthy playlists. You could even put on some ambient restaurant sounds in the background!
COVID-19 has most families cooped up ‘round the clock. As a result, the house can get dirty—fast.
To combat the filth, consider giving every nook and cranny of your dwelling a deep clean. Not only will Mom appreciate a sparkling clean home, but the rest of the family will also welcome the gesture.
Crank up the tunes and grab Mom’s beverage of choice—it’s time to have a Mother’s Day party. In addition to serving food and drinks, you can consider playing games, baking a cake, and making crafts.
Afterward, when things are winding down, you can finish the day off with a movie marathon for the entire family.
Even though spas are closed due to the pandemic, you can still treat Mom to a relaxing day at home. Everyone, including the kids, can work together to whip up essentials, such as face masks, spa water, and a foot soak.
Also, don’t forget that any mom will always appreciate a good massage.
One heartbreaking aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic is that, in some cases, family members can’t visit one another. On Mother’s Day, many moms, particularly those who are high-risk, will be at home alone or in a nursing home. Also, because travel is limited, it may be impossible for you to visit your mother if she lives far away.
If, for whatever reason, you can’t be with your mom on Mother’s Day, be sure to let her know how much you care. Give her a phone call—or better yet, a video call—to remind her she’s loved. You might also consider dropping off (or sending) essentials, such as personal hygiene products, groceries, and clothing items.
Just remember: Mom needs your love more than ever during these difficult times.
Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.