Just give me the day off for Mother’s Day

Breakfast in bed please. Just measure a healthy serving of my favorite cereal with a cup of yogurt and some fruit. And the flowers make it extra special. /KARA MARZIALI

I’ve heard it said that a mother’s work is challenging. I’d like to add that a working mother’s work is doubly challenging. My to-do list never shrinks. So while flowers make a lovely Mother’s Day gesture, I have a few other things in mind. Here are some (not so subtle) suggestions:

Let me sleep

For goodness sake, if you’d like to see my loving, maternal side emerge that Sunday morning, do not wake me from a peaceful slumber. Don’t make noise, don’t set an alarm, don’t lift a shade or draw the curtains. Simply let me lie there. Alone. Trust me: I’ll love the opportunity to relax and enjoy my morning without the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Breakfast in bed

My mom spent most of Mother’s Day in the kitchen whipping up a three-course meal that included homemade treats for our extended family and then cleaning up the mess from hosting a full house of guests. (What was she thinking?!) Perhaps she found some delight in playing the consummate hostess during the Hallmark holiday that honored her parenthood. I, on the other hand, do not. Please give me a welcome break from the kitchen. I’d like to start my day with breakfast in bed. Just measure a healthy serving of my favorite cereal with a cup of yogurt and some fruit. I’d also enjoy a good book and hot cup of berry tea. Just saying.

Give me a break

To my dear husband: I kindly ask that you refrain from discussing occupational worries, car repairs, bills, yard work, what’s for dinner or the household checking account. To my darling son: Please do not bother me about homework (Daddy is better at calculus than I am anyway!), lost articles of clothing or the turtle. Instead use your energy to do some laundry, dust the end tables, wash the bathroom, and go to the grocery store. (We always need more milk, eggs, lettuce and bread anyway.)

Pamper me

(or at least humor me!)

For a successful Mother’s Day, consider giving me a week-long trip to Canyon Ranch. Whether it’s a pedicure, massage or facial, I always appreciate the opportunity for total relaxation. Additionally, there are many spas right here in Rhode Island that offer gift certificates for particular services, so check out the options and find something just right for me. Heck, I’d settle for a five-minute back rub or a hasty foot massage after I finish my breakfast in bed.

Love me

Ok, you may not have the budget to truly indulge me, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to create the perfect day for me...just use your imagination. As it turns out, some of the most thoughtful gift ideas are the most economical and easy to plan. This Mother’s Day, show me how much you care by together making memories we can cherish for years to come. Tell me you love me and appreciate me. Give me a hug (and a kiss, while you’re at it). Remind me that I am a great mom by thanking me for a job well done. This truly is all I really need.

KARA MARZIALI is the director of communications for the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, the mother of a really great kid and the wife of an adoring husband.