Ever since my first day of kindergarten, my mom has always welcomed me home with a warm smile and the classic question: “How was your day?”

As a working parent, she has a loaded schedule between teaching two-year-olds in the morning and running the carpool in the afternoon. But my mom, like many Whitman moms, I’m sure, is the queen of the balancing act.

No matter how her day was, her first question is always about me—never about herself. At night, when I’m sitting in my room staring at my mountain of homework, she never fails to ask if she can help in any way. While it’s usually a “no,” she still asks the question anyway.

This Mother’s Day, show your mom how thankful you are for her. Here are some easy ways to say “thank you mom.”

1. Make a homemade card. They’re more personal than the hallmark cards from CVS. Homemade cards were cute when you were four and your mom will still find them adorable today.

2. Instead of grazing through your DVR Sunday morning, do chores around the house. A break is sometimes what mothers look forward to most on their special day—besides time with the family, of course.

3. Watch your mom’s favorite movie with her. Snuggle up on the couch because there’s always time to watch The Notebook.

4. Make her a photo album. Nothing says water works like bringing out the baby pictures.

5. Finally, make Mother’s Day an all-year event instead of a one-day celebration. Take time every day to talk to your mom and reply to “how was your day” with more than just “fine.” Fill her in on the latest gossip and give her the latest news of Wonderful Whitman-land. But most importantly, beat her to the question and ask, “How was your day, mom?”