AARP Rewards Mother's Day Contest 2026!

[AARPTeri]

Mother's Day is all about love, laughter... and the moments that make moms so special!

Share your Mother's Day tribute by hitting reply to this post - it can be funny, heartfelt or totally unique! Whether it's a funny memory, a simple thank you, or a life lesson she shared - we want to hear about it! 

Not only will you spread some joy, but you will also have a chance to win a special reward, because great stories deserve great prizes!

Need inspiration? Try one of these prompts to get you started!

• The moment my mom totally saved the day for me...
• If my mom had a superpower, it would be...
• Something my mom/inspiring woman in my life told me was...

No purchase necessary to win!  Be sure your entry is your own original story!  Keep it kind, respectful and fun! Check out the official rules here: View Contest Rules

Play our new Mother's Day Mahjong Solitaire Game!

We also have Mother's Day egreeting cards in Rewards, you can view them here 

[SereneSeagull]

I love sarcastic people.  Telling it like it is , @jg34206387  So great hearing your memory.

[lj2319]

Mrs. Groah, my third grade teacher, "Your mother is a beautiful woman.  She has such a wonderful smile".  My mom was physically attractive, but also extremely smart.  She was high school valedictorian and homecoming queen.  Somehow I knew even then Mrs. Groh meant beautiful, strong, inside and out.  Many years later I recognized my high school typing teacher at an event.  I told her, "My mom insisted I take typing, which meant being an hour late for wrestling practice one day a week".  I was angry, but Mom insisted, and I told the teacher, "As mom said it would, typing turned out to be extremely valuable as I've done a lot of writing."  My former teacher smiled, then almost cried, saying, "We teach all these years and mostly hear nothing, or just the bad things.  You don't know what it means to hear such a good thing."  I did know.  Mom was still brightening lives 15 years after she died.  When my Dad retired, Mom and Dad travelled all over the country in an old camper he knew how to keep running.  When Dad died, Mom quit travelling till I asked, "Any other place you"d like to go?"  I took her to Philadelphia, "birthplace of America", and I still remember the tension at the Liberty Bell.  The rest of the folks in the tour just wanted to get on with it, but the knowledgeable guide was smiling profusely, thrilled to be able to answer the most amazing questions pouring forth from my Mother. When she was dying, I brought her applesauce I made myself.  I tried to get her to teach me to cook in high school, but she refused.  I don't know if she feared I'd destroy her kitchen, or if it was that conservative thinking, "Cooking is women's work."  I learned on my own, and as I spooned applesauce into Mom's mouth, she said weakly, "You made applesauce just for me?"  That strong, beautiful smile spread slowly across Mom's face.  It brightens my life to this day.

[SereneSeagull]

  Beautifully written.

[LeandraG443547]

One of the best gifts of being a wife, mother of 2 beautiful adult daughters.  One just turned 22.  She still lives at home.  My oldest one is 29 and after her divorce in February she moved back home but she brought a gift.  She is pregnant with my first grand baby.  She is having a boy due on her dad's birthday.  She is naming him after my dad's first name and her dad's middle name.  Leonard Thomas, Leo for short.  She is actually due July 21st but is getting induced on July 13th on her dad's birthday and that's blessing for all three of us.  Her dad, my husband, he's excited to be a pepaw.  We have been married almost 30 years.  It will be 30 years August 16,2016.  Plus we live with my mom to help take care of her because she is 73 years old.  She is going to be great grandma.  Plus we had a bonus my me and my husband and my younger daughter living here, last  August we had a scare with me.   I found out I had breast cancer in my left breast.  So I ended up having a bilateral mastectomy, then I went through chemo from December 2025 to February 2026.  Then in March I had surgery to remove 12 lymphnodes and they were all negative.  Praise the Lord.  So I am in remission for now. I plan to stay that way for awhile because I can't wait to welcome this new grandbaby into the world. 

He truly is a blessing from God.   My dad passed away about 40 years ago so I am going to say he was handpicked by his great grandpa in Heaven.  So he will be perfect.

[ChristopherK487822]

One of the most beautiful gifts as a mother, is watching your daughter become a mom herself, and just being awestruck as to what an amazing women she’s become. Truly the greatest gift is knowing my children are my most beautiful legacy.

[MadonnaM141634]

The most important thing my mother ever taught me was to always save for a rainy day. Thanks Mom!

[mm77866126]

I want to thank my mother for the life she gave me i miss you mom😍

[SereneSeagull]

That’s beautiful.  

[DonyaTann]

The most important thing my mother taught me is to never give up. When things are bad that means they'll get better. When things are good, be grateful. Also share goodness with others. Be genuinely happy for others and their successes. The golden rule applies to everything. 

[j848945r]

My mother was a farm wife. She prepared all the meals, kept a garden so we could have homegrown (pesticide free) veggies, ran after equipment parts for the farm and then took the time to sew all four of us girls matching yellow (with flowers) Easter dresses.

[kariann]

     I didn't appreciate my Mom until I was older, as a teenager I always thought I'll never act like that or think like that. But guess what I learned many lessons from her, I think I'm a better parent and person because of her. My Mom got Alzheimer's in her 70's and now every time I forget something, I think oh no I've got it now. But because I know the signs I don't freak out too much. I have pictures and objects that I've kept for the happy memories and I thank you Mom and Love you

[SereneSeagull]

Isn’t that something, as we age we appreciate the lessons our parents taught us, even more.  I always made a point as an adult to thank them for that.  We don’t always see this as teens, but it becomes more apparent as we grow and mature.  Loved your post @kariann 

[blueroseviolin1129]

Everlasting Influence 

My mom, a blessed memory, still plays an active role in all I think about, say, and do. She always encouraged me to pursue my dreams. At 65, I am going back to school to be a licensed Music Therapist-what I originally went to college for. I don’t regret choosing a career as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired for 41 years. I loved it. My desire to help others, as well as myself, something she always wanted for me, is now my goal and I will pursue it passionately. She always withheld her energy until the time was right to release it towards the most important things to her  - family, faith, and the future. I know I can never fill her shoes, but because of her, I am grateful to be able to fit comfortably in my own.

[SereneSeagull]

So beautifully written @blueroseviolin1129 .  How interesting…a music therapist.  Such a rewarding path to go down!  That’s super!

[m870874h]

At The Kitchen Sink

One day while I was standing at my kitchen sink, I began to ponder, to just stand there and think, soon tears were streaming down like raindrops from the Sky and I heard my husband saying, was it I who made you cry.

It was at that moment, when it became so clear, what it means to be a mother, one so

precious and so dear. I began to think back on the things I never knew, until I was

standing there, and it all became so true.

All the things I thought were natural, were

indeed a hefty chore, but I had never once hummed while sweeping up my floor and all

the clothes that I'd left laying on the bathroom floor, they weren't picked up by fairies washed and put back in a drawer and those cakes that I smelled baking when I opened up the door, well magic didn't bake them like I thought it had before and the supper on the table and the popcorn on the couch that just did not happen but I had never figured that all out

Mom was always standing there to give me a little kiss and to listen to my problems which were own a lengthy list,  but somehow all around me all these things were always done, and she was somewhere singing about something God had done. That is the moral of the story of her life, that is why she was smiling in the middle of the strife, not complaining and not screaming I have too much to do but humming about Jesus, that is what always got mom through.

It was during my break down, there at my sink, where God whispered to me softly it can be easier than you think, I have never felt emotion, nor have I loved as deep, as I loved my Mother that day standing there at my kitchen sink.

I am blessed to still have my momma and it is only because of who she is that I was able to overcome many obstacles in my life. God has blessed us tremendously.  

[SereneSeagull]

@m870874h I’ve seen that,  “At the Kitchen Sink” poem before.  Beautiful, and very relatable.  Thank you.

[Nadja7]

When I was a girl in the 1970s, I belonged to Girl Scout Troop 532 in Southern California. Our troop was known for being active, mischievous, and endlessly creative, and always finding ways to get ourselves into trouble.
One crisp autumn evening, with school just a few months underway, we gathered at the Girl Scout house in the city park, waiting to board the bus for our annual fall camping trip. The sky was darkening, the air misty, and a storm was clearly on its way. Girls from all the local troops were assembled, chattering excitedly, sweaters pulled tight against the chill.
Impatient as ever, we began to chant, trying to hurry the leaders to let us board. Between our shouting and the roar of the idling bus engine, it was nearly impossible to hear what our troop leader was saying. Soon, it became clear. The camping trip was canceled. A big storm was coming, and disappointment settled over the group like a huge gray cloud.
I looked at my mom, and I could tell she saw the disappointment on my face. With a giggle and creativity, she said, “Invite your troop over to our house.”
And that’s exactly what I did. That night, our house transformed into a Girl Scout camp. There were sleeping bags everywhere! Girls slept in the living room, the den, and three bedrooms upstairs. There were giggles, whispered conversations, and the constant shuffle of friends claiming sleeping spots. Somehow, amid the chaos, my mom orchestrated a pancake breakfast the next morning. That weekend wasn’t just about avoiding disappointment. It was about generosity, creativity, and the kind of warmth that leaves a lasting mark. My mom didn’t just save the day for me; she saved it for an entire troop of girls.
When my mom passed, I shared this story at her memorial. My old Girl Scout friends nodded in agreement—it was a core memory for all of us, a small but shining example of how one person’s kindness can ripple out and touch many lives.

[SereneSeagull]

That’s a wonderful memory to have!  

[cg1999584]

My mom’ super power was super chef. My mom worked at night, driving from Waldorf MD to McLean, VA as a federal government worker, and by the time she got home we were already gone for school. Back then there was no “microwave” to heat or cook meals so my mom prepared enough meals for at least 5 days on Saturdays her day off, froze some of them and I was responsible for heating and serving my dad and three brothers, cleaning the table and doing the dishes as a child until I was about 16. My biological mom died when I was 7 and my dad remarried and my mom who raised me did an exceptional job for a woman who married a widower in 1969 with 4 children, 9 and under and had no children if her own. Now that’s a super mom!

[SereneSeagull]

For sure!  @cg1999584 

[l52798p]

Hi! My mom's super power is being a great listener. She knew you were struggling with an issue but didn't pry. She would let you open up when you were ready. She didn't interrupt you with her opinions or bombard you with questions. She let you speak & nod her head.  She would wait patiently until you asked for her thoughts & then shared her wisdom. She still does & we're all grateful.🙏

[SereneSeagull]

A listener is the greatest thing to be.  👍

[MamaMacB]

My mother, my superhero, endured unimaginable hardships, including surviving an emotionally abusive marriage, to raise her four children. After leaving that abusive situation, she managed to raise them on her own. She became a nurse and spent the next fifty years helping others heal. She even cared for her own grandchild suffering from a debilitating and terminal disease. I witnessed her envelop her family in the kind of love and strength only a few people can show when facing such a great loss. And she did the same for me when my husband unexpectedly passed away when my daughter was just ten years old. By example, she taught me the importance of facing every challenge with hope, courage, and integrity. At 87, soon to be 88, she remains the center of our family. Her smile continues to light up a room, and her innate capacity for goodness and spreading joy uplifts everyone who has the privilege of having her in their lives. She is simply the heart of my heart, and I love her dearly.

[lamatos]

Happy Mothers Day Mom

  you are no longer with us but I want to thank you for always being there fpr me.Through good and bad.I love you and always will.

   MY Mom

[NormaE471443]

My mom passed away in 2021 at the age of 91. She had lived in the US for 60 years and had never returned to her beloved homeland of Guatemala. She was a proud American but also proud of her Guatemalan heritage. She spoke English perfectly with the most beautiful accent. She taught us to love and respect our country but to also love and respect our heritage and culture.

I am a proud Latina American because of her.

Te quiero mucho Mama

[cg1999584]

Wonderful❤️

[DeborahJ939300]

My mom was a great mom of 13, many grandchildren, great grandmother, great great grandmother and she left a legacy behind. My dad died when I was three and mom became a single mom, back then people may wonder how but she did it. She got her certificate and went to work for Social Services, while raising her children, and working every day;she was helping other people in life to make it. She loved to plant flowers in her garden, go to bingo, cook and make coconut cakes. She had a beautiful smile, every one in the neighborhood knew her and she was often helping someone in the neighborhood, at church or in the family. She instilled many values, morals and she was a woman of integrity. I’ll always love my momma she’s my favorite girl! 😇 I miss her so so much. 

[cg1999584]

Now this not only a super mom but a super super mom wow 🤩 

[SereneSeagull]

She sounded very special, @DeborahJ939300 

[ShannonP543381]

My mom has my deepest respect. She's the strongest woman or person i know. We didn't have much when I was a kid but she always made it happen for my 3 siblings and I. 8 years ago she  Iost my little brother , her youngest and ny oldest sister, her oldest ,withing 8 months of each other and I know it breaks her heart everyday.  I wish I could ease her pain and just want her to know how much I love her.