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 

[rg22109724]

My mom taught me strength, often without words. Through her resilience, I learned how to endure hardship. Through her kindness, I learned compassion. Through her sacrifices, I learned what unconditional love truly means.

There were likely days when she was tired beyond measure—days when life tested her patience, her courage, and her spirit. Yet she kept going. She smiled when she was weary. She stood tall when life tried to bend her. She loved fiercely even when she had little left to give.

As children, we often don't see it. We don’t understand how much she gave up so we could have more. It is only with time, with maturity, that we begin to realize: every comfort we knew, every opportunity we had, every lesson that shaped us was touched by her.

Love you mom, Happy Mothers Day!

[LindaM151540]

My best Mother's Day was the one following the birth of our first child.  My husband had all the pictures taken, and cards received, made into a sort of diary with plenty of room for more babies to be added. (His idea)

[IngridK239959]

My mom has taught me so much and continues to do so. One of the many values she's demonstrated the value of is resilience. She survived a great deal and through determination and holding on to hope, brought herself through into the happy, loving life and relationships she deserves. She gives me strength and hope, and helped shape me into a mother myself with all the kindness and encouragement I could ever ask for.

[PamelaO767877]

All my father said was that Mother had to go away for a while. He took my sister and I out for cheeseburgers—my first memory of eating out. I was 6, my sister was 10. 

There were no goodbye hugs. Mother was already gone. I was told she needed to rest. Actually she was in a tuberculosis hospital, where children were never allowed to visit.

My sister and I were first sent out of state to live with our cousins and the following year to a foster home. 

Father visited on weekends. Once he drove us to the hospital and had us wave at a small figure in a far window. I had long ago forgotten what Mother looked like and couldn’t see her face at that distance. But perhaps she saw us better. 

In the third year, on the second Sunday in May, Mother was released from the hospital. Although not expected to, she had survived and was coming home.

It was awkward because, for health safety reasons, we couldn’t hug or kiss. But Mother was here with us, we were a family again, it was a Mother’s Day miracle

[rg335]

My daughter struggles with disorders affecting her mood and behaviors, so I am happiest when she takes a break from negativity to appreciate my assistance in her life.  Happy Mother's Day!

[BrendaM341634]

 My 2 children are my blessings God gave me, they are they my best friends and they are always here for me.  Yes I have to say they spoil me.  They gave me 6 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren with 1 on the way. My babies are my life they all give me such pleasure. I am retired and I will soon be 72 I drive a school bus to help keep me active and busy, I love all of my kiddos. My mom passed away almost 20 yrs ago and oh how I miss her, she was truly my best friend through all my childhood,teenage, adult life, she was always there for me and we did so much together, I miss her voice, he laughter, her hugs and I could always go to her for advise.God has blessed me so much  

[JessicaL536993]

Mother’s Day is very special to me, my Mom and my two daughters. We share a very special bond from sharing our lives together and from exploring or family roots together. We have been very fortunate that my Mom and other relatives have researched their ancestry and we have all done DNA testing. We have learned very interesting things about our family legacy, including shared family traits, hobbies, and interests like gardening, reading and bring near the ocean. My mom is now 75, I am 54 and my daughters are 37 and 28 years old. We know that our genes are passed through our maternal DNA chromosomes, so it’s fascinating to learn more about our ancestors and grow closer with each other. It makes us more interested in each other, our family and in sharing the family history through stories and photos. Due to this unique exploration of our roots; It feels like we are celebrating this Mothers Day with those who came before us! 

[RebeccaW182478]

God didn't allow me to give birth to children.  In fact, He didn't bring Ricky into my life until I was 50 years old.  When we got married, I received two grown sons and five granddaughters. Interesingly enough, the boys' names were both on a list of names I had chosen for my children when I was in high school!  Jason and Jarrod were wonderful and I quickly began to love them.  Fast-forward 14 years.  God called Ricky to heaven, yet because of his boys, I am loved and cared for.  

[SusanP9778]

I became a mother for the first time on Mother’s Day May 10th 1970. My first of 3 children was born at 3pm on May 10th. Every Mother’s Day is special but having my first child on Mother’s Day was really a treat! 

[KathleenA354074]

My Mom died at 58 from a brain aneurysm, she was a nurse, I was only 31. Every year she would visit me from out of state. We would go to my local beach from 10 to 4 every day and get fried.  She loved to swim in the ocean, not an option living in AZ. We shared laughter, love, and ate great bologna sandwiches with our sandy hands. We had great times that made lasting memories. Love ya Mom, RIP!! ❤️ 

[hays4bes]

My favorite Mothers' Day memory is the day I became a mother.  I was 22 years old and 7 months pregnant on Mothers' Day in May 1966.  I was in line at the grocery store getting last minute items for dinner, and my water broke.  I drove home, and my Mother immediately went into action. She was a nurse and knew I did not like hospitals, so, she prepped me right there at home before we went to the hospital. I became a mother and Mother became a grandmother about 5 hours later. I had a daughter, who weighed 5 pounds 3 ounces. She was a beautiful and healthy premmie. We went home 3 days later. 

My Mother passed in 2003 at the age of 80. We used to speak on the telephone everyday. I traveled a lot for work and would call her from my hotel or rented rooms whereever I was. I miss her so much. Without thinking, I still pick up the telephone to call her.(LOL)  

Evangelist Janet Hays-Forbes

  jhaysf@pacbell.net

[d918842c]

My favorite Mothers Day memory is the year my daughter and her 2 year old daughter got up early on Mothers Day and went to every vacant lot and pasture nearby and picked wildflowers. When I woke up, there were flowers in my bedroom, the bathroom, the living room and the kitchen! Every available surface was filled with vases of flowers! When I thanked them, she cried because she couldn't  afford to buy me any presents! I told her there was nothing she could buy better than the flowers and her thoughtfulness, and that precious little grandchild!

[DanneB372073]

My daughter took me on a trip to Rosarita, MX . We walked across the border into Tijuana and went to Hotel Caesar to have lunch. Of course we got the famous Caesar salad . It was great. We caught an Uber to Rosarito to our Airbnb right on the beach. It was so beautiful.  We did s I me shopping had some great tacos and listened to some great music. 

[FunmilayoG941133]

My mom taught me to live within my income and also stress the importance of dignity of earning my own income. I have passed the same message to my daughter who is now 22 years old.

Few years ago, we spent mother's day weekend in participating in a program organized for Cancer Survivors.

[KathyT63163]

When my son was just 9, he planned a Mothers day for us to spend the whole day together.  We started at one of our favorite Cincinnati places, the Zoo, followed by lunch at my favorite Indian restaurant.  After that we went to Northern Kentucky's Devou Park for a concert.  We finished our day at another of my favorite places - Pirate's Cove on the Ohio River.  Best Mothers Day ever!

[JudithM906150]

My mother was getting ready to deliver my twin brothers. On Mother's Day she had the first four of us kids scrubbed and dressed for church where services were difficult for twitchy youngsters to sit through because the priest was very, very long winded. Just as it was time to step out the door my mother leaned hard against the door and told me to call my father home from work because it was time. She gave us three gifts that day, my twin brothers and a respite from long sermons.

[Shera1115]

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 I was never fortunate enough to ever have bio kids of my own, so when a young woman we helped wanted to call Mom, my heart just melted. I may have not created the people I claim as my kids, but God gave me my God children and continues to bless me. 

[cm83974513]

My mother baked the best lemon glazed pound cake ever. Everyone talks about her cake. People always called her to bake this cake for special occasions. Well, my mother taught me how to bake her cake. She was hands on in helping me. She turned the cake out of the pan on to the plate because she didn't think I would do it correct. I wrote down every step from the ingredients to baking to making the lemon glaze. Of course I didn't have the technique down as to how to apply the glaze. She took the spoon from me and glazed the cake. She made it look so easy. Some how, it just wasn't that easy for me. I now know how to bake her cake. She will be 90 this year and no longer bake. I will forever hold this dear to my heart.

[WebWiseWoman]

Shera, thank you for sharing this important message! And thank you and your partner and your daughter for being the strong people you are!

[JoanneC765686]

I grew up on a dairy farm in the Midwest. My family wasn’t poor but we never had much disposable income. One year my cousin received a beautiful bride doll for Christmas and I told my Mom that’s what I wanted for Christmas. Of course, my family couldn’t afford it - I only ever had one doll as a child, but when Christmas came I received the miost beautiful bridal dress and veil for the doll I already had. Fast forward to the day I got engaged and was thinking of wearing my Mom’s bridal gown if she still had it. She said she didn’t- she had cut it up to make the bridal gown for my doll - all those years ago. One of my most important memories is of her - working late into the night - after I was asleep - to ensure I had a bride doll like my cousin. My Mom’s entire life was one sacrifice after another for her family

[DeborahD807571]

I'm so blessed tobe able to spend a nother Mothers Day with my daughter who has been fighting stage 4colon cancer..Hopefully she will be NED in june.

[MaryD989907]

My mom always had a smile on her face and something positive to say no matter who she met. She always said you never know what someone is going through just a smile or words would make their day. I now do that encourage others.

[Debsab]

in 1985, when my son was a kindergartener, he adamantly declared to me that he was treating me to breakfast for Mother’s Day. He then asked if I thought McDonald’s would be okay. My face lit up and I told him that would be perfect! With a look of relief on his face he said, “ I’m so glad that you don’t mind because I only have a little bit of money. But, when I’m all grown up and I get a good job we will go to a really nice restaurant!” That was 41 years ago and the tradition is still going strong. Even though I see him all the time, this is our special morning once a year and it is very meaningful to both of us. Every year as we enjoy each others company and our breakfast, always in a new and exciting place, I think back on our egg McMuffins from so many years ago and it’s bittersweet. The time has gone by so quickly, but we filled these passing years with so much love, family traditions and beautiful memories. This year we decided we are going back to McDonald’s where it all started, just because. I can’t wait to share more precious time over our McMuffins. I may even have him order a happy meal just for old times sake!!

Happy Mother’s Day to all🫶🏻

[JohnK849563]

My mom was always a great cook. Our home was frequently the host home for family and friends and my mom frequently said, "We can always put another bean in the pot for added guests". On the occasion of my dad's 80th birthday, she prepared so much food, nearly every horizonal surface of the house was laden with all of the delicious foods that she prepared. With almost 100 people celebrating my dad's birthday, my mom made sure that no one left hungry. I think that the kitchen table might actually still have a permanent sag in the middle now after holding so much food. Good times, great food, and fond memories. Mom was the best and we all still miss her so.

[mtnmama58]

My Mom was diagnosed with terminal lymphoma on May 7, 2001, six days before Mother's Day that year. When she called to tell me what the doctor had said I couldn't wrap my head around what she had said for a few minutes. We had already planned for her to visit my daughter and I on Mother's Day weekend before she went to the doctor. On the way back to my apartment from picking her up at the nursing home, I noticed her hand laying on her seat next to the middle console. I gently laid my hand on top of hers all the while knowing it was a special memory I intended to keep the remainder of her days and mine. Our weekend was all the more special knowing her time was short. We went out to eat and then visited my son, his wife and their little boy, Mama's first great-grandchild. The visit was full of laughter due to Mama's sense of humor. You just never knew what she would say! Three weeks later, we buried her. It was all over way too fast but the memories of that special Mother's Day lives on in my heart. Miss you Mama...always!

[DorothyM464543]

Hi there,

I have a heart-felt Mothers day story.  My infant son born almost 39 years ago was born very premature and the doctors did not hold out much hope for his survival but in spite of everything, he survuved and then I was faced with awful truth, as I was told if he ever walked, he would never run and so many other negative things.  Almost 9 years ago, he had completed a marathon in all 50 states and then about 2 years ago, he gave me the greatest gift ever, when his son was born.  I couldnt be more proud of him and his little baby (who. is now a toddler) On Mothers day, the baby looked at me and said "Happy Mothers day Nona"!!  It was hard to hold back the tears as my son's legacy had come full circle.  

Thanks for letting me share this moment!!

Libby Mehrens

[Kris710]

My most special and memorable Mother's Day - and maybe my best, for existential reasons-  occurred back in the late 1990s, when I was a single mom, and my son was 12. We were living hand-to-mouth in NH, rarely having the funds to go anywhere. But it was a special day, so we excitedly decided to celebrate it at an indigenous powwow about an hour north of us. We loved powwows, and considered them sacred time.

We hit the highway, and about 40 minutes north, my little SUV engine burst into flames! I pulled over, and hoped for some safe help to come along, as there were no cell phones in those days. Sure enough a good Samaritan stopped and assessed our situation, and gave us a ride up to the town where the powwow was being held, but to a mechanic and towing shop, instead. I don't remember how, on a Sunday, the place was open, or if this person knew the mechanic, but this was small town connectivity, and somehow, things happened in our favor. With towing and repairs, I knew this would deeply hurt my finances, and I was feeling it. Worse, after the mechanic picked up our vehicle and brought it back to his shop, he discovered that he would not be able to repair it. This meant paying for my vehicle to be towed yet again an hour south to our little town where my regular mechanic would (hopefully) be able to repair it. 

Throughout this hours-long ordeal full of standing, waiting and phone calls, my son and I were living in the moment and feeling some despair. As I was making the plans with AAA over the phone for the tow back home, I was asked when I wanted my vehicle picked up, and felt this weird little happy jolt inside me as I unexpectedly said 5:00PM. I had no idea until it happened that that was going to come out of my mouth. But it felt exactly right. The vehicle could wait, but our time as a family could not. We were going to that powwow. And I will never forget the look of joy on my son's face as he heard me say this, and realized that the day was NOT lost, but FOUND anew.

We both learned something that day. Moving through challenges is about choice and rising above. No, an engine fire did not stop us that day, which turned out to be one of our most magical. In fact, my years of raising my son were all magical, and I am forever grateful he chose me to be his mom. 

[AMFields2024]

There are moments in life when a single person changes the entire direction of our future. After being abandoned by my biological mother in December 1978, my life stood at a crossroads filled with uncertainty, heartbreak, and unanswered questions. Then, just two months later, Helen Louise Brandenburg Barks came into my life and became far more than a surrogate mother—she became my mom in every sense that truly matters. When my life could have turned down the wrong path, she arrived at exactly the right moment to guide me toward a better one.

Her love, patience, and unwavering presence gave me stability when I needed it most. Because of her, I learned what unconditional love looked like and what true family felt like. She believed in me during moments when I struggled to believe in myself, and her influence shaped the decisions that led me toward a far greater and more promising life. Every good choice, every lesson in compassion, and every ounce of strength I carry today has roots in the care and wisdom she poured into me over the years.

Even though twelve years have passed since her passing, her spirit and emotional presence remain alive within me and within my children. The legacy she created did not end with her life—it continues through the values she instilled, the love she shared, and the example she set. My children know her not only through stories, but through the kindness, resilience, and love that she helped build within our family. Her fingerprints are forever on our hearts and woven deeply into the fabric of our lives.

Not a single day goes by that my thoughts do not drift toward her. My heart still spends time with her in quiet moments, cherished memories, and the endless gratitude I feel for the woman who rescued me when I needed saving the most. I carry her love with me every day, and I always will. Helen Louise Brandenburg Barks was not simply the woman who stepped in—she was the mother who chose me, loved me, and forever changed my life.

Though our blood lines never crossed, my love for her goes deeper than that of most blood relatives. She did not just save the day for me, but that of my life as a whole with her presence, her love, and continued guidance.