Researchers asked moms what they really want for Mother's Day. The answer is heartbreaking

"Overall, most parents want to celebrate their day by spending time with their families, with 69% of mothers and fathers choosing a shared family activity as their ideal gift. While the concept sounds heartwarming, it is less heartwarming that nearly 40% of mothers report making their own Mother's Day reservations, adding to her already long "to do" list."

"Our survey found that for parents of children under 18, this desire for "me" time is greater for mothers than fathers. We found the biggest difference is among parents with school-aged children (ages 5-12): mothers are 2.4 times more likely than fathers to prefer time for themselves (41.7% mothers vs 17.6% fathers). By contrast, fathers are 1.5 times more likely to choose shared family activities (73.9% fathers vs 48.8% mothers)."

"We found that mothers reported significantly less free time (less time to rest and fewer chances to recharge) than fathers, and unsurprisingly mothers who reported less free time were significantly more likely to want time for themselves. In fact, parents, especially mothers, with young children (ages 0-4) reported having 1.5 times less free time than parents with adult children, highlighting just how demanding the early years of caregiving can be, especially for mothers."

Most mothers and fathers prefer celebrating their day with shared family activities, with 69% selecting this option. Nearly 40% of mothers report making their own Mother’s Day reservations, adding to their existing responsibilities. For parents with children under 18, mothers show a stronger preference for personal “me” time than fathers. The largest gap appears among parents with school-aged children, where 41.7% of mothers prefer time for themselves compared with 17.6% of fathers. Fathers are more likely to choose shared family activities, at 73.9% versus 48.8% for mothers. Physical gifts are the least popular choice for both groups. Mothers report less free time than fathers, and less free time corresponds to a higher likelihood of wanting personal time, especially for parents of young children and full-time working mothers.

Read at Fast Company