Hi! I'm trying to think of something special to do for my wonderful DIL. She has a 2 1/2 year old and 3 month old. My son is a football coach so starting this week she's a "football widow". I'm thinking about giving her a gift certificate to Adventure Kids PlayCare so she can drop the kiddos off a few times and get away for a little ME time. . . maybe lunch with the girls, a movie, etc. As a young mother - do you think she would enjoy this or should I get something like a massage gift certificate? THANKS!
Thanks to all of you for the advice. This is exactly why I needed your help!!! You made me think of some things I had forgotten about in the 30+ years since mine were babies! (Like the fact that she might not want to drop off her newborn with perfect strangers!) I live about 3 hours away and work, so it's not possible for me to babysit during the week. Her Mother is WONDERFUL to help out on weekends, but I really think she needs some get-out-of-the-house-before-I-pull-my-hair-out-time during the week.
She doesn't have a regular sitter (which is why she needs some time off for good behavior), but a friend's daughter highly recommended Adventure Kids. I'll think about this tonight and try to get some feedback from my son. (Of course you know how men are - "ME" time is a recliner and the remote control in their hand, so they don't always understand how important it is.)
UPDATE: Well it's all worked out just fine! I got her the Adventure Kids gift certificate, and my son is giving her a Spa Day - so she will be able to have her cake and eat it too! I appreciate EVERYONE'S response. You all sound so sweet and YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAWS are lucky to have YOU!!!
THANKS AGAIN!
My mother-in-law gave me an awesome gift one time. She hired a housecleaner to come and clean the house top to bottom for me and I loved it.
Would you be my MIL?? Pleaaaaase??
Me time is always good. I'm a big fan of the gift certificate myself -- especially when it comes to massages, pedicures or anything spa-ish. Would you be getting her both gift certificates or just one? She might feel a little uncomfortable dropping the 3 month old if she's never used them before (you know her better than i though). I've heard good things though about Adventure Kids. I think either or both are a great gift idea.
I think maybe you shold give her a massage gift card. Then you can take the kids so she will know that they are being cared for by someone who loves them. It will be easier for her to relax. But kuddos to you I wish my mother-in-law even cared enough to send me a card when I had my second daughter. Whatever gift you give her I know she will appreciate it.
M.,
Excellent ideas! Central Market coit & Bush and Whole Foods @ preston & forest have full time chair massages if she doesn't want to spring for the whole hour. Also I go to a place call The Massage Company, first time users it is #39 for an hour massage. A membership is around $200 a year and you get $39 hr massages all year!
I am going to try Adventure Kids soon. I just checked them out this week and they look great! Best of luck and your are a dear!
First, HOW SWEET of you! I am fortunate enough to have a thoughtful MIL as well.
I think she would love either! My MIL gave me a gift certificate for a facial and massage and I loved it since it is not something I would normally spend money on for myself.
The only thing I would consider with the Adventure Kids thing is: does she currently take her kids there? OR, does she have a sitter she uses at her home instead? I've never used Adventure Kids, but have used other hourly playcare places in the past. And, although they are wonderful, I wouldn't have taken my 3 1/2 month old there. But, that's just me...if your DIL already uses them, that would be a great gift of some ME time...which we can all use every now and then!
What a sweet thing to do for you DIL!!
=) S.
Thank God for MIL's like you! I think, personally, I would be a little iffy (sp?) leaving a 2 yr old and a 3 month old somewhere like that. That's just me though. Is she a stay at home mom? Do they have a sitter they use on a regular basis? Maybe "contracting" that sitter to watch the kids on a Saturday or weeknight so she can do some things. That way she already knows who has her kids and won't worry.
Just my opinion but I'm a worry wart!
I would first find out if maybe there is a regular sitter that she uses. Then I would go for that. I have a 2 yr old & so even the time I get to go to the grocery store alone to me is so valuable & wonderful. I think that this offer is just wonderful & so very thoughtful of you & no matter what you end up doing for her would be great & she would be very greatful for it. I would however, think of this before deciding what you will do for her. If you decide to give her the gift certificate to the Spa or something like that she will still have to find a sitter to leave the kids with. I personally would like the free sitter time, that way she can go do whatever she needs to do or wants to do just her & the girls. I know whatever you decide she will love, so good luck on the decision.
Hi M.. I think that is a wonderful idea. I know I would definately appreciate it. As a mother of two, there are definately times when I need some me time. She will love it.
I think it will be great. She probably would love the time to go to luch with her friends or to sit at home and read a book.
Ahhh, you are wonderful. Like the others, I agree, she may have some reservations about using Adventure Kids, especially for the younger one. With that said, I have been using them on and off since my son was about 9 months old and I do trust them completely. A spa gift cert would be nice, but speaking from experience it is frustrating to get a certificate to a place but not have time to go. My DH gets me one for Mother's Day every year, and I am lucky to find the time to use it by the end of summer! It is still appreciated though, especially if she can use it on a weekend when you come to visit to babysit! Another option would be a gift certificate to Starbucks. My MIL gave me one for Christmas, and I thought it was a great gift. One thing that wasn't mentioned would be to pay someone to clean her house! A good up and down deluxe cleaning is a dream to a mom with kids. Most of the big companies do gift certificates.
OMG!!! You are every girl's DREAM MIL!!! First of all, it is so special that you recognize how difficult it will be for your DIL over the next couple of months and even nicer for you to think of something special to do for her. I personally would love the massage gift certificate or even a facial or pedicure. If you live close by, it may also be nice to offer to babysit for her one day. Hats off to you for being so wonderful! If you are ever looking to adopt a DIL, I am available! You have my vote for MIL of year!!!
I think that a GC to Playcare is a wonderful idea. A Massage would be nice too but if she doesn't have childcare would she ever be able to use it?
H.
