What to Write in a Mother's Day Card

Mother’s Day is approaching fast in the UK! It can be hard to know exactly what to write in order to lovingly express your feelings on this day. But fear not! I have made a list of tips, tricks and examples in order to help you write whatever it is you want to say to your mother figure. For you, this could mean your biological or adopted mother, but equally your stepmother, grandmother, or anyone else in your life who has taken on that role of maternal figure at some stage or other. Mother’s Day is the perfect time to show them that you love and are thinking of them.

Whether you want to send a funny message, a heartfelt emotional thank you, or just something cute to brighten her day, there’s something here for everyone. Take a look and find some inspiration below.

Saying thank you and showing gratitude

Mother’s Day is the perfect time to let your mum know how grateful you are for all the things she does/has done for you throughout your life. Think about it, from when you were born until now, your mother has doubtless sacrificed time, energy and money in order to try and give you the best life possible.

Here is an extensive list of things you could say thank you for, with a couple of examples underneath:

Taking care of me when I was sick
Playing with me when I was little
Teaching me things
Making me lovely food
Spending time with me
Changing my diapers
Helping me with homework
Taking me to extracurricular activities
Buying me presents
Organizing birthday parties
Vacations
Celebrating my wins
Consoling me when I was sad
Giving me advice

Here’s an example of what to write in your Mother’s Day card ‘thank you.’

Happy Mother’s Day, Mum! I wanted to say thank you for everything you did for me when I was growing up, especially spending time playing with me when I know you must have been tired after work. I really look back on those times with a smile because you were always there, willing to play even when I know now you might rather have been relaxing or napping! So thanks mum, I really appreciate it and you.

To frame it differently, consider adapting this instead:

Mum, you’ve always been my biggest supporter and I wanted to let you know that it has made a huge impact on my life. There were times when I was unsure of myself, or didn’t believe I could do something, but you were always there, encouraging me and helping me to believe in myself and I think that that has honestly given me such a massive advantage. Thank you so much, You are the best. Happy Mother’s Day!

A stand-out memory

A similar looking mother and daughter lying on the grass

Another idea for something to write about in a Mother’s Day card is to write in detail about a stand-out memory you have of your mother from when you were growing up. It works best if it’s a memory you haven’t spoken about often before. For her, it’s a nice surprise to know that something she did has given you a lasting memory in the most positive way. Here is some inspiration for the types of memories you could recount, along with examples below on how to phrase them.

A holiday you took together
A birthday party she organized
A day trip you went to together (a museum/park/farm, etc.)
A special meal she cooked for you
A time she took care of you when you were ill
A time she cheered you up when you were sad
The way she reacted when you got a good grade/report at school
When she was kind to someone (setting an example for how to treat people)
Her reading you a bedtime story

Here’s a sample showing how you could formulate your story:

I’m not sure if you remember, but a long time ago, I met you after school one day really upset because I had fallen out with my best friend. You noticed immediately that something was wrong and took me to the park instead of heading straight home. We sat on the swings next to each other for what seemed like hours, and you listened to me and talked to me about friendships and relationships in general, and it really made me feel like you heard me and made me feel so much better about everything. It was only a couple of hours, but it really stuck with me and I wanted to say thank you for that. I love you, mum.

For a different take on what to write in a Mother’s Day card, how about phrasing it like this:

Dear mum, instead of just wishing you a happy Mother’s Day, I wanted to write about a time we went shopping when I was little. We were in a supermarket and a man was acting very strangely, and then he fell to the ground. At the time I was really scared, and no one went to help him, probably thinking he was drunk or something. But you did. It turned out he was sick, and you were the only person who went to his aid. I think about that a lot, because it really taught me to be compassionate and kind towards others. I’m so grateful I have you as my mum to set an example.

Ideas for giving compliments

A woman compimenting her older mother on Mother's Day

This next idea on what to write in a Mother’s Day card involves complimenting her. This can be for something she has done in the past or something that she does/is now. Here is a list of ideas of things you could compliment her on, along with some longer examples that can be cut and pasted with a little editing –

Her sense of humor
Her morals
Her style/fashion sense
Her cooking
Her patience
Her ability to stay calm under pressure
Her skills at gardening
Her music/movie taste
Her sense of adventure
Her child-rearing capabilities

Mum, I just wanted to take this opportunity to compliment you on your impeccable taste in music. I’ll always remember bopping along to Britney and the Backstreet Boys with you, singing along and dancing around the living room like no one was watching. Your pop tastes have definitely influenced me, and I’ll be forever grateful for you teaching me the Macarena!

Mum, you already know that your lasagna is second to none, but I wanted to let you know, on Mother’s Day, that you are actually the best cook ever. I don’t know how you do it with no recipe book, just throwing in a handful of this, a pinch of that, and everything just turns out so perfectly! If I can learn to be half the chef you are, I’ll be happy forever! Happy Mother’s Day!

If you want other ideas for complimenting your mother, check out all these nice things you can say to mum.