If you’re frantically searching for the best parent gifts or that perfect present for the special mom or dad in your life, we’ve got good news: your search is over. We asked our Village Experts and the Hello Nanny! team what habits, services, and small upgrades have truly lightened their mental load and made everyday life easier. From home help and meal planning to mindfulness and simple daily rituals, these are the thoughtful, practical gifts parents actually want—and will actually use.
Some people say parents are the hardest to shop for. And, that can ring true. We’re the ones making the magic, keeping the plates spinning, and acting as the behind-the-scenes elves who make it all run smoothly.
And, while a piece of jewelry or a new winter coat will never be turned away, most of us don’t actually need more stuff. In fact, from our experience, the most memorable gifts that truly make a difference aren’t always flashy or even wrapped.
We recently asked our Village Experts and the Hello Nanny! team what habits, services and upgrades (big or small) have really helped them lighten the mental load and create more breathing room in their everyday life. From grocery delivery and laundry help to movement, meditation, and outsourcing the invisible work, these are the best parent gifts that actually support parents and caregivers where it matters most.
The Best Parent Gifts, According to the Experts (Moms!)
Chelsea Skaggs, Co-Founder of Postpartum Together
For professional life coach Chelsea Skaggs, tapping into an awareness of what her brain and body needs to regulate has been a game changer for her mental health. She tells us, “Taking 15-20 minutes a day (let’s be honest, not all days but most) for meditation has been something I didn’t think was ‘my style’ but has improved my life in so many ways.” Skaggs shares that motherhood amplified the constant mental noise she’d always carried: “My brain has always been LOUD and motherhood exemplified that. Making intentional space to calm and clear it has helped me show up for myself and others in much better ways.”
Keesha Scott, Co-Founder of Guardian Recovery, Certified Parenting Coach and Host of Cake for Dinner podcast
For Keesha Scott, having the gift of time to exercise transcends the physical benefits. “Since my kids were little, I’ve always carved out time to exercise. Yes, the physical benefits are great, but the alone time has been the real lifesaver. It’s the one space where I reset, breathe, and remember who I am outside of motherhood and work.” Keesha also prioritizes practical support at home. “As a full-time business owner and entrepreneur, I made a conscious decision early on to invest in help at home. I can only be in so many places, and I’ve always chosen to spend my time doing the things that really matter—showing up for my kids—rather than scrubbing my baseboards.” Having help around the house keeps her energy available for the big stuff, while a clean, calm space makes her feel more productive and grounded.
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Dr. Saskia Gex, co-founder and one of the 3 members of My Pediatrician Friend
For Dr. Saskia Gex, managing her to-do list and calling in support helps make her life feel more manageable. As a physician, co-founder of My Pediatrician Friend, and mom juggling kids, work, pets, and the endless logistics of family life, she’s acutely aware of how quickly the mental load can pile up. “Most days can feel like a nonstop to-do list, and anything that lightens the load even a little can make a huge difference,” she says. What’s helped most aren’t grand overhauls, but practical supports that take routine tasks off her plate and make daily life feel lighter. Because, as she puts it, “moms are already doing more than enough.”
- Grocery delivery services
Whether it’s FreshDirect (if you’re in NYC), Instacart, Whole Foods delivery, or another service, being able to shop from your couch at any hour is such a game changer. No driving to the store, no wandering aisles trying to hunt down ingredients. Your groceries show up at your door ready to put away. It saves time, energy, and sanity. - Laundry help
With three active kids in multiple sports, I was completely drowning in laundry. I could usually get clothes into the washer, but folding and putting everything away felt impossible. Finding someone to help with laundry has been life-changing. If that’s not an option, drop-off services like, wash-and-fold or tide-to-go, can make a huge difference too. Taking this one task off your plate frees up time and prevents meltdowns over piles of clothes everywhere. - Mobile dog grooming
If this exists in your area, it’s worth every penny. We book our appointments for the year in advance, and on grooming day the van pulls right up to our driveway to bathe and trim our pup. No remembering to schedule, no driving back and forth, no waiting around. It’s completely seamless and one less thing to mentally track.
Jessica Hill, Certified Fair Play Facilitator and Founder of The Parent Collective
For Jessica Hill, hiring a cleaning service wasn’t really about how pristine her toilet or floors appeared, but more about how she showed up as a parent. “One of the most impactful choices I made was hiring a cleaning service,” she says. “It wasn’t about luxury; it was about preserving my energy for the things that actually bring me joy and help me show up as a better parent.”
Letting go of deep cleaning freed her to focus on what mattered most. “I realized that I wanted to spend my limited time and bandwidth on being present with my kids and cooking for my family…not scrubbing toilets,” she explains. The payoff was immediate: “Outsourcing the deep cleaning lifted a huge mental load and freed up space in my week, and it made our home feel calmer and more sustainable for all of us.”
Ashley Gerhard, Certified Postpartum Doula and Founder of Phoenix Transformations Birth and Business Coaching
Mom of seven, Ashley Gerhard, reveals the importance of viewing support as essential infrastructure, instead of a ‘nice to have’ luxury. “For me, these aren’t luxuries—they’re the infrastructure that makes everything else possible,” she explains. Outsourcing pieces of the invisible work, even in small or seasonal ways, has been especially impactful. “When I’ve hired help with cleaning, carpool, or even just asked someone else to handle the logistics for a week, it has dramatically lowered the mental load.” That support now includes pre-ordering meals instead of trying to do it all herself—because, as she puts it, “Anything that removes the pressure of being ‘the only one who knows how things run’ is a gift to my future self.”
Alongside practical help, Ashley relies on simple nervous system rituals to stay regulated. “Nothing elaborate. Just feet on the floor, hand on my heart, and 4–6 breaths before I respond to anyone (a child or even a text),” she says, noting that the pause does more for her than any wellness trend ever has. “It’s the simplest thing I do, and the one that keeps me showing up as myself. (Bonus points when I remember to thank my past self in the moment!).”=
Ashley also prioritizes trauma-informed support for her inner world through therapy, coaching and spaces where she can process the hard and holy parents of motherhood. “Having somewhere to put the deeper layers means I’m not carrying everything alone,” she shares—and that, in turn, has made her feel more present, steady, and resourced in every area of her life.
👉Do these experts have you thinking about practical ways to lighten your own load? Let us help—fill out our intake form to connect with our team.
Stephanie Fornaro, CEO and Founder of Hello Nanny!
For Stephanie Fornaro, CEO and Founder of Hello Nanny!, carving out dedicated time for herself is non-negotiable. “I have dedicated 2 hours a day to myself,” she shares, including daily workouts and personal training three times a week. This commitment gives her the energy and focus to show up fully for her family and work.
Kate Georgalas, Director of Partnerships at Hello Nanny!
Just like one would stick to a running or workout regimen, Kate Georgalas similarly treats her mental health like most people treat going to the gym. She points to a set of intentional practices that have reshaped how she shows up for herself and others, including:
- Investing in growth has been foundational: this year she completed her Mental Health Coach certification with Headspace and is on track to finish Birthsmarter Teacher Training in early 2026.
- Moving my body (and my stress) through hot yoga 3x/week.
- My nightly Ritual+ magnesium is a total sleep gamechanger.
- Minimizing mindless scrolling with my Brick device to stay more present.
- Honoring what helps me feel regulated, including an SSRI, which has become one of the most supportive elements of my self-care routine.
Taken together, these choices help her feel “steadier, clearer, and more grounded day to day.”
April Wilhelm, Director of Marketing at Hello Nanny!
For April Wilhelm, the gift that keeps on giving is her ability to create and build systems that help her feel supported, as a working mom of two. She shares that “a few things have made a massive impact on how I show up for my family, my work, and myself,” starting with practical home support. Investing in a biweekly housekeeper allows her to stay focused on what actually matters, while prioritizing her physical and emotional reset through a Sauna + Cold Plunge community gives her a consistent way to recharge.
April also pours into her personal growth through a women’s empowerment mastermind and relies on an AI habit tracker to keep her routines simple and sustainable. To ground herself day to day, she turns to a gratitude journal that supports her mindset. Taken together, she says, “All of these have helped me feel more supported, more spacious, and more aligned in how I move through my life.”
Vanessa Brown, Family Recruitment and Placement Manager at Hello Nanny!
Intentionally starting her day with a workout has made a big difference in how Vanessa shows up for herself and her family. In many ways, this routine sets the tone and stage for the rest of her day: “I structure my day so I can start with a workout before work. It helps me release energy, stay focused, and be more productive throughout the day,” she says. Planning ahead also plays a role: every Friday she creates a meal plan for the following week, which helps her maintain healthy eating habits, save money, reduce waste, and avoid unnecessary snacking.
Vanessa also prioritizes small supports that give her and her husband breathing room. “We send our puppy to daycare at least one weekend day a month so my husband and I can get things done without feeling guilty. She gets her exercise and socialization, and we’re able to catch up on errands and tasks.” Creating consistent routines help Vanessa know what to expect daily, feel more empowered and help stay more organized.
The Best Parent Holiday Gifts Are Ones That Lighten the Load
The best gifts for parents aren’t always indulgent, expensive or flashy. What parents really want for the holidays is support, breathing room, and practical help that reduces stress and mental load. As these parents and caregivers show, small investments in home help, wellness routines, and intentional systems—from grocery delivery and cleaning services to exercise, meditation, and daily rituals—can create calm, free up energy, and help them show up as their best selves. So if you’re wondering what to gift a parent for the holidays (or anytime of year, truly), these thoughtful gifts give the greatest return, and will be raved about for years to come.
👉Make the gift of stress-free days a reality. Complete our intake form and find support that truly matters.
