Look.

I have been a mother for 16 years so I have a little bit of experience. I have four children — three girls 16, 12 and 7 plus a boy, 4. My kids are in four different schools this year- high school, middle school, elementary school and preschool. I’m exhausted just typing this!

So, believe me, I am quite excited about Mother’s Day. It is truly the one day of the year where I can relax and enjoy my children — or even enjoy a little time AWAY from the kids. Not totally away but a break from all of the dressing, laundry, cooking, cleaning, chauffeuring, and momming I do all the time. Over the years I have gotten many gifts from my kids (and of course their dad, my husband). Thus, I am here to offer the following suggestions of what NOT to get moms for Mother’s Day. Dad and kids listen closely.

Overpriced Jewelry
Yes, I know this will come as a shock but moms don’t want to feel guilty on Mother’s Day that their families spent too much money on jewelry they’ll really never wear on the soccer sideline. Instead, consider a less expensive piece that represents her children. A “Mother’s Ring” or necklace featuring the kids' birthstones (they come in all price ranges) will be forever appreciated because it’s more personal than a strand of costly pearls.

Chocolate
Yeah, I know, we all love chocolate but we’re already trying to lose weight to get into our swimsuits for summer. Please, give us a break and keep the calorie-laden treats for Christmas when we can hide the pounds under a big Christmas sweater. However...homemade oatmeal raisin cookies baked by our own kids for us on our special day? That's a different story — calories be damned. Of course we love anything prepared with love by our little sweeties.

Expensive Flowers
I do not want a flower man (unless he is super hot) coming to the door with a box of factory greenhouse raised, spray painted flowers. I would much prefer my children go out and collect pretty wildflowers (roots and dirt hanging off!) that I can put in a vase and enjoy. The whole idea of perfect Mother’s Day gifts is this: they should be personal and from the heart, not store-bought or online shopped.

Mugs
Enough said.

Store-Bought Cards
This won't win me any friends at Hallmark anytime soon but listen... I would rather have a homemade card from one of my children ANY DAY of the week and ESPECIALLY on Mother’s Day. Please, please no cards picked up at the mall. Honestly, I hate throwing away any Mother’s Day card — even the manufactured mall ones — but the ones made by hand (complete with spelling errors and coloring outside the lines) are the ones I treasure most.

Expensive Restaurant Meal
Don’t get me wrong, I love restaurants as much as the next mom and I sure as crap will not be cooking on Mother’s Day. But I'm not looking to spoil my sweatpants-and-no-makeup holiday, flat-iron my hair, and take a trip to a fancy restaurant. I would rather enjoy a picnic by the water, a favorite home-cooked meal (completely prepared and cleaned up by anyone other than me), or some yummy take-out.

See?

Mother’s Day doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. The best gifts in the world are ones that our children choose or make especially for us. My personal favorite Mother’s Day ‘gift’ is breakfast in bed. My husband and all the kids come up to my bedroom on my special day (after I’ve slept late, of course!) with a breakfast tray complete with flowers from the garden, homemade cards, the New York Times (my favorite Sunday time splurge) and a delicious meal (sausage mandatory). Then, I go out to the little screened porch off my bedroom and read the paper all day. The kids even bring me snacks and drinks later on. It’s sort of a “Queen for a Day” Mother’s Day. It’s perfect and wonderful.

And? Free.

Happy Mother's Day!