What to buy a single mum?

[Nunyabusiness]

I am looking after my daughter's friend for the day next week as her usual childcare isn't available and mum is a single parent who has to work.

I thought it would be nice to have the daughter make a gift for her mum while she was here, so she can sneak it under the tree as a little surprise for her (there's no grandparents or father on the scene, literally just mother and daughter, so I don't think mum ever gets a break or a gift that she hasn't bought herself)

Can I think of any ideas? Nope! Please help me, oh wise ones!!!

It needs to be :

-relatively inexpensive (budget up to £20)
-nothing that needs to set/dry because it needs to be squirrelled in an overnight bag for hiding when she leaves and we only have around 3 hours to get it done
-something that the kids can do without a huge amount of adult input as I have to work from home myself that day

I am happy to order materials online if required but don't have the time or inclination to traipse around a million shops getting stuff. If I can get stuff at the supermarket on my weekly shop then even better.

I thought about a pamper box with face mask, body scrub and so on, but I'm not entirely sure it's very 'her' iykwim and other than that I'm drawing a blank

Decorate a photo frame and put a lovely photo of your friend and her DD inside?

Or one of those pebble pictures using a deep frame - they look fairly easy to make

What about candle making? I don’t know how easy it is. When I was a single mum I would have loved that.

A plain bowl, plate and mug...hand-painted?

A large jar of Nivea decanted into a naice glass jar add vitamin E capsules, essential oils (2/3 drops to every 10ml) and hand-decorate a label for a special cream.

Make a rag rug...need two hessian sacks pile of old clothes/rags follow YouTube tutorial.

Using coloured felt squares, pva glue, scissors few beads ,brooch pins make a handmade flower brooch or dog or whatever she's into.

That's it I'm done...,

I'm a single Mum.
I'd love a hand decorated photo frame.

How old is the child? Could she sew? I'm thinking of a heart or star as a Tree decoration. Could stuff with capoc and decorate with sequins.

Placemarking in case I have a brainwave...

What about a lovely hand decorated voucher for a babysitting day/evening? You'll obviously be the babysitter but it will show that she's happy to come and stay with you, hence it can be 'her' gift.

It's free but incredibly thoughtful. Also a few hours free time is the best gift any mother (especially single mums) could get!

Single mum here and agree a handmade photo frame, painted box anything she can keep and look at. Even a handmade card with some loving words.

Can I also say what a wonderful thing you are doing I've been a single parent 16 years and my most precious items are all handmade by my son.

Thank you everyone, I knew I could count on the Mumsnet hive mind!

Please do keep the ideas coming, I've located an unused shoe box so I thought we could wrap it in Christmas paper and pop a hand painted mug and photo frame in it and do it up with clear cellophane and a ribbon.

On the babysitting front, mum knows we are always happy to have daughter here and we host sleepovers for her relatively regularly so it wouldn't be much of a 'gift' on that score.

I love the hand cream idea and will be pinching that for the kids to make for Nan, along with home made candles (which won't cool and harden in time for us to do next week)

@nixnjj it's not entirely selfless on my part, I have three children to entertain whilst also working from home so anything that will keep them occupied will also benefit me!

Mum is so lovely, and daughter is an absolute delight - I just think how made up I would be if I was on my own and somebody did something for me

This is so lovely. How old is she? I think a photo frame is a lovely idea - to be honest I think she will be delighted with whatever it is.

Daughter is 9

What about getting the daughter to make vouchers.. for a hug, or a cup of tea, or to wash up.. little chores that her mum can redeem through the year

How lovely!

I’m sure I’ve seen that if you write on mug in sharpie pen it can be ‘set’ in the oven so won’t wash off. That would be a quick easy one! Mug could then be filled with chocolates/hot choc sachets etc and wrapped up.

What a kind thing to do

Right, I've ordered plain mugs, ceramic pens and a photo frame that has a cardboard mount that can be decorated. The idea to pop some bits in the mug is a good one, if we start early enough we might be able to make some chocolate stirrers that can be added along with a sachet of hot chocolate and a home made voucher for a big snuggle!

Buy a couple of inexpensive bath bombs.
Her dd can crumble them up and add to a clear bag and tie with ribbons adding a handmade label. Et voila..luxury bath crumble.

Amarylis bulb

Love the ideas have nothing to add except maybe you could add a poem by the daughter, along the lines of Thankyou mum for... this year, or you're the best mum ever because...

No ideas for you but how thoughtful of you! Fun for the kids and the mum will really appreciate it

What a lovely thing to do!