Wondering what to buy Mom for Mother’s Day? I speak in general terms, of course. This post is not directed specifically at my children. Try to choose carefully; according to this article on Yahoo Shine, nearly half of moms don't like what they receive for Mother's Day. That’s kind of sad, but I'd say they are still ahead of the 18% of moms whose families forgot about Mother's Day entirely.

What constitutes a "bad" gift? There is no correct answer to that question. Some moms collect knickknacks while others abhor them. Some moms expect fancy and expensive presents; others will graciously accept a paperclip necklace covered in sticky-tack (but don’t try this if you’re over the age of seven). Even a bra in a frying pan conceivably has its place. One mom's junk is another mom's treasure, so ultimately, even sites like whydidyoubuymethat.com have no real meaning.

Hint: in order to get that perfect Mother's Day gift, don't rely on the advice of strangers or web articles. Instead, make an effort to get to know your mom’s likes and dislikes. I know; it's probably easier just to go the chocolate/flowers/dinner-out route (at which I for one would never turn up my nose). Whatever you do, don’t forget to thank her for being your mom.