Motherhood is among the most demanding, yet most rewarding, roles that a person can take on in their lifetime, and on the second Sunday of May, millions of Americans (78%, according to market research company Numerator) have the chance to show gratitude for the women that shaped them. But since the sons and daughters of this country vary so drastically in age, it’s worth asking: how does age affect how a child chooses to celebrate their mom on Mother’s Day?

To reveal how Mother’s Day changes as a child ages, nearly a dozen South Florida residents were asked to briefly recall how they spent Mother’s Day at different points in their lives, from early childhood to young adulthood. These anecdotes were then analyzed and split into categories, depending on factors such as whether the children made their mothers a card at school, went out for dinner, or made them breakfast in bed.

First, respondents were asked how they remember spending Mother’s Day at any point from the ages of 0 to 5 years old.

The largest share of respondents — more than 60 percent — recall making their moms a gift, such as a card or origami flowers, at school during the week of Mother’s Day. This is perhaps unsurprising, as preschool and kindergarten classes often involve lots of arts and crafts activities, and young toddlers with little independence or awareness of cultural events are unlikely to make or buy a gift without the guidance of a teacher. As one South Florida resident, Kelly Rengifo, recalled:

“For mothers day, me and my sister gave her cards we made in school and ate a special dinner together as a family.”

It’s only in later stages of childhood, such as when a child is 6 to 10 years old, that they start gaining agency over how they choose to celebrate the women that brought them into the world.

At a glance, this batch of data tells largely the same story as the first — children are more likely to go out to family dinners at restaurants than make a homemade gift — but there are significant changes as well. As an example, in this stage, children are now more likely to give their mothers a store-bought gift than one they made at school, reflecting the decline in seasonal arts and crafts activities in grade school versus preschool and kindergarten.

Additionally, a new category is added to the mix: Service. As children enter this age range, they become aware of the effort it takes to be a mother, and as such, might help with household chores as an intangible gift. One respondent, Samirah Mustafa, had this to say about how she spent Mother’s Day at 9 years old:

“[My sister, my dad and I] woke up early and cooked breakfast for my mom to deliver it to her in bed. It was pancakes, eggs, and fresh fruit. We then helped her clean the house and gave her cards we made in school.”

As a child with little to no disposable income, helping mom with household duties or errands can be a way to show gratitude for everything she does without spending any money, and as shown in the next set of data, it only seems to get more common as children grow into preteens and adolescents.

Between the ages of 11–15, acts of service are doubly as popular among respondents as it was during the previous age bracket, but there’s also a more significant change: store-bought gifts now top the list by a wide margin. While very few children in this age range are making their own cash at this point, they now have the ability to go to a store with a parent and play a role in choosing a gift — like jewelry, clothing, or a household appliance — even if a parent is the one making the purchase.

At this age, it seems, children are initiated into the nationwide ritual of holiday consumerism. According to the National Retail Foundation, Americans spend a total of $34 billion on Mother’s Day, a total that has increased almost every year since 2020. $6.8 billion of that amount goes towards jewelry, while $3.2 billion goes towards flowers.

As teenagers age into young adulthood, they become deeper entrenched in the consumer culture of Mother’s Day, as depicted in the final set of South Florida survey data.

In the 16–year-old to 20-year-old age range, 88% of respondents recalled buying a gift at a store for Mother’s Day. This is unsurprising, since at this age, teenagers and young adults usually get their first jobs, open bank accounts, and start accruing a significant amount of their own money for the first time.

Restaurant outings tie retail gifts for the top spot, with 88% of respondents also going out to eat. Rengifo recalls:

“I took my mom to breakfast and bought her a purse she wanted.”

According to research from the National Restaurant Association, 34% of consumers plan to celebrate Mother’s Day by going out to eat at a restaurant, while another 12% order takeout from a restaurant. However, Rengifo is one of just 13% of restaurant-goers who go out to breakfast for Mother’s Day, with most opting for dinner or lunch.

In a city as bustling as Miami, Mother’s Day festivities can cause a noticeable uptick in attendance at restaurants such as Korean Kitchen, an Asian eatery in North Miami Beach. One employee at the establishment, Angelina Shi, reports seeing “more people taking their moms out to eat,” but maintains an optimistic attitude, saying:

“I enjoy working on Mother’s Day […] because customers are usually nicer and tip more, and I can tell the moms really feel the love because they smile a lot.”

The roles of mothers, sons, and daughters are always changing as children age from infants into toddlers, and from adolescents into adults. But however families choose to spend the second Sunday of May, one thing stays the same: the desire to go the extra mile for those they love, and to make the mothers in their lives feel appreciated.

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