How To Fill Your Own Cup On Mother's Day

We polled some mothers and caregivers on how they really want to spend Mother’s Day this year. “My perfect Mother’s Day is honestly very simple,” says mom of three Marion Gruber. “Sleeping in, then heading to the beach with my family. Being in the sun, with nothing to organize. No meals to prep or anything to clean up, just enjoying the day together. That kind of ease feels like the greatest gift.” Filling your own cup isn’t about a single grand gesture, it’s about carving out moments that restore you and put quality time (however you choose to define that) at the forefront. Ahead is a look at how mothers are actually choosing to spend the day, along with a few ideas to inspire your own.

If there’s one theme that comes up again and again, it’s that the most meaningful version of Mother’s Day isn’t something added to your plate, it’s something taken off of it. It’s about the absence of invisible labor. The meal planning, mental check-lists, replying to school emails.

For artist and mom of three, Chloe Fleury, that is a day that’s spent simply and naturally: “A family walk to our neighborhood farmers market to pick up fresh produce for lunch at home in the backyard. Then I’d take my daughters to a bookstore that just opened a couple blocks away to find our next read. Later, we’d head to the beach, which is our happy place. My oldest can surf with their dad, my littlest can play in the sand or jump in the waves, and I can sit and read my new book.”

Of course, time alone is often framed as the ultimate gift, but what makes it restorative isn’t just the absence of others, it's what you do with that time solo.

“My mom always taught me it’s okay to carve out time for yourself,” says mother of two and artist Dev Heyrana. “When my daughters were small, I’d take walks to a coffee shop and sketch. I’d say, ‘Mama is going for a walk to draw,’ and that became part of our rhythm.”

Now, as her work takes her away for longer stretches, that early boundary-setting has had a lasting impact. “They’ve come to see the value in what I do.” It’s a reminder that taking time for yourself isn’t something to justify. It’s something to model.

For others, that time looks like a more complete reset. “I’ll be doing an overnight stay in Paso Robles,” says Mariama Wang, mom of two, and former fashion stylist, describing a day that includes a mineral bath soak and a glass of wine overlooking the vineyards. “All courtesy of my husband, who will be joining me, too.” 

While a single day can come and go in a flash, the rituals we build around it have the potential to last. One idea that’s worth exploring is what owner of Playdate Collective, a concierge and date-night service for families, Simone Radliff calls the “Museum of Mom.” Each year, children are invited to create a small installation somewhere in the home using drawings, objects, photos, or little treasures that reflect who their mother is at that moment.

“It’s a playful way to celebrate not only motherhood, but the evolving person inside it,” she explains. “As children grow, so does their understanding of her.” It’s simple, but a tradition that acknowledges that mothers, too, are also constantly changing.

If there’s one commonality it’s that it isn’t about indulgence, but presence. And what better way to access that than by simply getting outdoors? “I’ll be spending Mother’s Day camping in magical Mendocino,” says Defne Crowe, mom of one. “I can’t wait to wake up snuggled in a tent, hear my husband starting a fire in the morning, and watch my daughter marvel at the simple things, like a slug on the trail.”

There’s something about being in nature that strips things back to the essentials. “It’s so grounding for all of us,” she adds. “I plan to come home tired, earthy, and full.”