AARP Rewards Mother's Day Contest 2026!

My mother will be 87 on May 30 this year.  She and my dad have lived with me for the last 2.5 years.  My father passed in June last year and so my mom has had a rough year.  She has short term memory loss, but is highly functional.  She was a Nurse Practitioner so she writes everything down!  She may forget often, but she just looks at her journal and it helps her remember.  

She says "thank you for all you do for me" about 10 times a day.  I am the luckiest daughter to have a mom that continues to be thankful and grateful, even though she has Alzheimers.   We have some funny stories - you have to fine the laughter in the difficult times.

She has always been a strong woman, and I learned so much from her.  Her kindness, great laugh and gratitude are the best.

My mom has been gone about 25 years, and I miss her every single day. Even though she worked hard at an office job, she was always there for us when she was needed at school plays or required to provide Brownie Troop snacks. Everyone loved the little orange iced squares with the troop number on them (we kept it quiet that they were a bakery product).  She never hesitated to take us to the doctor or dentist, when necessary. She did not slay us when we did dopey things like cutting a foot while exploring an off-limits ditch or breaking a bike chain on a downhill ride. She literally did everything she possibly could to make life better for my sister and myself. 

Typically, my mom gets more recognition from me on Father's Day, as she is a sole parent (and often I am in the middle of college midterm exams around Mother's Day) - she is the best mommy-daddy ever!

unfortunately, my mother passed away when I was very little she was 34 years old but throughout the years people have told me about her the way she was she was a very happy person outgoing very smart and I come to find out that I’m a lot like her and I feel that even though I did not have her with me because I lost her when I was eight years old, but I have a lot of traits of her and that makes me very happy. I miss her a lot, and I think knowing of the way she was has made me who I am today and I am very proud of that and I think she would be too and even though she’s not here with me she’s very loved

My mom is 87 years old and lives independently. She's always been a strong hard-working and independent person. She inspires me to be that way, too!

My mother, who's 96, taught me so much.  Frugality, independence, a sense of security, moral standards, responsibility, courage and a love for all living things.

I am a product of her being.

She is nearing her time of departure.  I will miss her telling me I'm a good person and that she's proud of me.

My mom’s been gone now for two years. She was 89. I will always remember that she taught me life lessons about self discipline and hard work. These skills had to be built on respect for others and sharing true compassion. If you lead with the last two, the value of our work will follow along naturally. She was so right. Every day I work to build on these and hope that I am continuing to make her proud of me. Happy Mother’s Day to everyone! 

When I was expecting my first child at age 35, my mother-in-law got me a Mother's Day card for the mother to be.  It was so special to me after going through so many years of fertility treatments.  This year that baby is expecting her first baby at age 35 (our first grandchild) and I have a Mother's Day card for the expectant mother ready to be mailed to our daughter to continue the tradition.

I am 54 and still need my mom everyday. My mom is the strongest woman I know. I became a nurse just like her because I wanted to be like her. She is still always my go-to person for everything.

At 81, my mom is still there for me. I can call anytime of the day or night and she will answer. She still gives me loving advice and is guiding me on how to be a parent to all adult children. Once a week we get together with my daughters to have sewing night. Sometimes we get a project made. Sometimes she is teaching us new techniques but most of the time we get loving advice or hear her latest concerns for us. Other times we are laughing so much our stomachs hurt. We love hearing about her childhood, when my parents met, how they got through their hard times, her memories of me, my brother, and our children when we were little. A girl could not ask for a better mother than the one I have. She is a beacon!