Celebrate Mother’s Day by Adding Self-Care to Your Toolkit
Leslie Forde, founder and CEO of Mom’s Hierarchy of Needs, shares resources to help women who are parents, teachers and/or caretakers learn to incorporate self-care in their daily lives.
By Leslie Forde
Mother’s Day offers a moment to reflect—not just on how much mothers do, but how little time they often have for themselves. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, a caregiver or all three, self-care often falls to the bottom of the list. But small, sustainable practices can help restore energy, focus and joy. This Mother’s Day, try adding just one self-care habit to your toolkit.
Here are five ideas from Mom’s Hierarchy of Needs, created by moms, for moms—and backed by research from thousands of caregivers.
1. Start With Micro-Moments
Self-care doesn’t have to be a weekend away. It can begin with tiny, intentional pauses: a few deep breaths before walking into your classroom, a quiet minute while your coffee brews, or stepping outside between meetings. These micro-moments help regulate stress and remind you that your needs matter—even during the busiest days. Making space for just a few seconds of stillness creates a ripple effect across your mood, focus and well-being. Read more about this here.
2. Create a ‘No List’ to Protect Your Time
Moms often say yes by default—at work, at home, in the community. But every “yes” uses energy you may not have. A “No List” helps define what you won’t take on right now, so you can protect your bandwidth. Saying no to optional commitments, unnecessary guilt, or unrealistic expectations can free up the time and headspace you need to rest or do something that brings you joy. Boundaries aren’t barriers—they’re building blocks for balance. Visit our Share My Lesson post on how learning to say no could be the key to your self-care path.
3. Make Joy a Daily Metric
We measure so much—grades, deadlines, attendance—but rarely joy. What if you checked in with yourself each day and asked, “Did I do something joyful?” It could be dancing to your favorite song, reading a few pages of a book, or sharing a quiet moment with your child. When you prioritize joy, even in small ways, it can shift your mindset and help you reclaim a sense of self beyond your roles and responsibilities. Watch this video to see how easy it can become—learning to check in with yourself about your self-care time is a healthy, joyful habit!
4. Reframe Asking for Help as a Strength
Asking for help can feel like failure to many of us—but it’s actually a sign of strength. It means you’re setting limits and honoring your capacity. Whether it’s leaning on a co-teacher, partner, friend or older child, inviting support creates space for recovery. It also models healthy behavior for the people who depend on you. You don’t have to do it all to be enough. Asking for help is how you stay well enough to keep going.
5. Build a Support System That Works for You
Support isn’t one-size-fits-all. For some, it’s weekly chats with a friend. For others, it’s a therapist, a trusted co-worker, or a mom group that just gets it. The key is choosing people and spaces that fill your cup, not drain it. If your current support system doesn’t meet your needs, it’s OK to re-evaluate and rebuild. You deserve relationships that nourish your energy and remind you that you’re not alone. Read more inside Share My Lesson about finding community.
This Mother’s Day, Give Yourself the Gift of Time
You give so much to your students, your family, your community—this Mother’s Day, give something back to yourself. Whether you try one self-care habit or all five, each step is a quiet act of resistance against burnout. You don’t need a full schedule overhaul. You just need a few intentional changes that start with you.
👉🏽Join the Mother’s Day TimeCheck Challenge from Mom’s Hierarchy of Needs. In just a few minutes a day, you’ll learn how to reclaim time for what fills you up—starting now.
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About Leslie Forde, Founder and CEO of Mom's Hierarchy of Needs
Leslie Forde is the creator of the Mom’s Hierarchy of Needs framework and has led growth and innovation strategy for over 20 years. She’s held leadership roles at organizations including Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Care.com, and a children’s mental health startup. For the past decade, her work has focused on media, research, and technology in childcare, eldercare, mental health, and education. A frequent speaker and consultant on supporting parents, caregivers, and people of color, Leslie has advised companies like HubSpot, Merck, and Scholastic. Her writing has appeared in, to name a few, The Washington Post, Slate, and Parents Magazine, and she’s been featured in The New York Times, CNN, and Fast Company.
Mother's Day Lesson Plans and Activities
Explore these Mother's Day resources to create meaningful classroom moments that honor and embrace the diverse emotions and experiences of your students — while also offering support to the incredible mothers in your school community.
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