Gents Weekly: The Gentleman's guide to Mother's Day
Issue #17: The manliest newsletter on the internet • May 4, 2026
Welcome to issue #17 of The Gents Weekly, a newsletter for the modern man.
Every Monday, you’ll receive a weekly roundup of inspiring ideas + products to help you become a better man.
Brought to you by the men of Gents Journey — Dean Bokhari, Stephen Seidel, and Matt McManus.
ANNOUNCING
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📝 THE MESSAGE
A timely piece from the gents.
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Mother’s day
Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 10.
Here’s a list of unique gifts for momma dukes and/or the wife.
1. Tell Me Your Life Story, Mom: A Mother’s Guided Journal and Memory Keepsake Book
If you’re looking for a thoughtful way to capture your mother’s life story, this is a great way to do it. The prompts in this journal/book make it easy to fill out. And eventually, it becomes a family keepsake. This is an intentional gift that’ll help her preserve those random and everyday stories that would otherwise get lost and forgotten about.
2. A Recorded Video from Your Kids
One of our co-founders, Stephen, shared this idea in a meeting recently:
Record a video of each of your kids talking about why they love their mom and/or grandma (or have them share three things they’re grateful for about her).
Then, present it or play the video for her on Mother’s Day.
Brownie points if you pair it with breakfast in bed.
3. Jo Malone Candles
Jo Malone makes some of the best damn candles I’ve ever smelled and they’ve got a million options to choose from. My favorite is their “Orange Blossom” (I get it for the wife sometimes while secretly enjoying it for myself.)
I’m sure you can find a good one for mom.
4. Edible Arrangements
This is my go-to Mother’s Day gift. Especially when I can’t think of something better to give my mom and wife.
5. StoryWorth
This is a cool one. StoryWorth is a service that’ll email weekly storytelling prompts to mom for a year and then compile her written memories and photos into a professionally bound hardcover book.
Here’s how it works:
You choose from a series of weekly questions that spark memories and inspire her to share stories and photos.
StoryWorth emails the prompts to her, and all she has to do is reply to the email.
12 months later, you’ll have all her stories preserved in a book you can read, reread and pass down.
Makes for a great Mother’s Day gift - especially if you think she’d be into sharing her story.
6. 1-2-5 Method Stationery
Women love premium stationery. And if she’s a list-maker, a productivity nerd, or just appreciates luxury productivity tools, then look no further than 1-2-5 Method. She’ll appreciate the ultra-premium paper and card stock they use for all their products. All made in California, USA.
Top picks for Mother’s Day:
Time Blocking Planner Pads
Daily Productivity Cards.
7. Cameo
There’s this comedian my dad loves, named Maz Jobrani. A few years ago, my brother paid Jobrani to record a personalized Father’s Day message for our dad. He got a kick out of it and rewatched it at least a hundred times.
You can do the same thing for Mother’s Day with a site called Cameo, which features all sorts of notable folks — from Ric Flair to Snoop Dogg.
8. Wearable Blankets
This is a fun one. A full-on wearable blanket she can relax and lounge in.
9. Ferlind Nut-Milk Maker
Women—especially moms—absolutely love a good kitchen appliance.
Last year, I gave my wife the Ferlind 8-in-1 Nut Milk Maker for Mother’s Day so she can make her own almond milk. I kid you not when I tell you she’s used it almost every single week since I gave it to her.
10. Classic Mother’s Day gifts
If none of the above are a good fit, here are a few classics that you can’t go wrong with:
Book a class for her: yoga, pilates, cooking, painting, etc.
Take her to brunch or dinner. Make sure it’s her favorite place, not yours.
Jewelry. If it’s meaningful, she’ll wear it forever and think of you every time.
A 1-year subscription to a personal growth platform, like Masterclass, Club 12, or Gaia.
Spa day. Call the place and book it for her, or get a gift card and let her enjoy it on her own time.
Plan a day together that revolves around her interests: hiking, beach day, meditation, wine tasting, etc.
Give her a self-care gift. Here are some great picks:
And last but not least: flowers. They’re the original, the classic, the Mother’s Day gift that never gets old… If you want to step it up a bit this year, look into “forever flowers” — I’ve been giving these to my mom and wife over the last few years. They last… FOREVER.
— Dean Bokhari
Co-founder, Gents Journey
Share this with a friend who could use it.
📰 THE MOMENT
Sh*t that’s happening now, ICYMI
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This Week’s AI Prompt: Gentleman’s Guide to Mother’s Day
Who mothered you when you needed it most?
Mother’s Day isn’t just about your mom.
It’s about every woman who stepped in when you needed someone. The aunt who let you crash at her place when things were rough. The teacher who saw something in you. Your friend’s mom who fed you like you were hers. The neighbor who checked on you. The woman who didn’t give birth to you but showed up like she did.
This prompt helps you figure out who actually mothered you—and how to show up for them in a way that’s thoughtful, creative, and not just another Hallmark moment.
THE PROMPT:
Copy everything below and paste it into ChatGPT or Claude:
I want to make Mother's Day meaningful this year by acknowledging the women who actually mothered me—not just the traditional ones. Help me figure out who to show up for and how to do it in a way that's genuine, thoughtful, and not generic.
Help me:
1. Identify ALL the women who mothered me
- My biological mother (if she's in my life)
- My partner (if she's a mother to our kids)
- Grandmother, mother-in-law, stepmom, aunt, older sister
- A teacher, coach, mentor who showed up when I needed someone
- A friend's mom who treated me like family
- A neighbor, coworker, or stranger who stepped in at the right time
- Anyone who played a maternal role, even briefly
2. Acknowledge complicated relationships honestly
- If my relationship with my mom is strained, do I reach out anyway? What's genuine without being forced?
- Who do I owe an acknowledgment to that I've never given?
- Who shaped me that I've never thanked?
3. Figure out what would actually be meaningful to each woman
- Not "what's expected"—what would surprise her in a good way?
- Does she want time? A conversation? A letter? A favor? A story told about her?
- What's she been meaning to do that she won't do for herself?
- What would make her feel seen, not just appreciated?
4. Think outside the box—no Hallmark moves
- Instead of flowers: What if I fixed the thing she's been complaining about?
- Instead of brunch: What if I showed up and helped her with something she's been putting off?
- Instead of a card: What if I wrote her a real letter about a specific moment she saved me?
- Instead of a gift: What if I told my kids a story about her they've never heard?
- Instead of one day: What if I started a habit that shows I'm paying attention year-round?
5. Create a specific action plan for each woman
- Who am I reaching out to?
- What am I doing? (Be specific—no vague "get her something nice")
- When am I doing it? (Don't wait until the last minute)
- What's the gesture that's uniquely her?
Here are the women who mothered me: [List them—be expansive, not just traditional]
Here's what I think would be meaningful: [Be creative]
Don't let me phone this in. Make me think bigger than flowers and brunch.WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The AI is going to help you see all the women who actually mothered you—not just the ones you’re “supposed” to acknowledge.
By the end, you’ll have:
A full list of women who deserve recognition
Creative, thoughtful gestures (not generic gifts)
Specific actions for each person
A way to show you’ve been paying attention all along
WHY THIS MATTERS
Mothering isn’t just biology. It’s the woman who saw you when no one else did. The one who fed you when you were hungry. The one who listened when you needed someone. The one who stepped in when your own mom couldn’t.
Those women deserve more than being forgotten because they’re not on a Hallmark list.
This isn’t about buying something. It’s about showing up. Telling the truth. Saying thank you for something you’ve never acknowledged.
That’s what Mother’s Day should be.
Run this prompt. Figure out who mothered you. Show up like you mean it.
Drop one woman you’re planning to acknowledge this Mother’s Day who isn’t your mom. Let’s expand the circle.
— Matt McManus
Co-founder, Gents Journey
Raised by More Than One
👊 THE MOVES
Media for men.
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Watch | A Powerful Message About a Mother’s Love
Be sure to subscribe to our Gents Journey YouTube channel
(Watch the video above first.)
Honoring Mom Before it’s Too Late
No matter how far you rise or fall — when you’re broken, bullied, and lost —
Your mother was the one who believed in you.
That’s not just love. That’s unconditional love. And it’s the most powerful force that’s ever carried you through this life.
She didn’t love the version of you that had it all figured out.
She loved you — the messy, unfinished, still-becoming version. That belief?
It’s the foundation of your life, and what you may now be building as a parent.
Own Your Story
Here’s a question from our Journey Deck: If your childhood bedroom could talk, what’s the first thing it would say?
Every man starts as a boy. The love you received, the patterns you absorbed, the struggles you witnessed, and the behaviors you inherited — they’re all still in there.
But what happens now? It’s on you.
Sunday, May 10th, is your chance to prove it.
Whether you have generational trauma or not, break the cycle. Be present. Love your wife and kids for exactly who they are — not who you need them to be.
Honor the past for the good and bad that have shaped you, as it’s all served its purpose.
Own it — then build something better with it.
Family is all we have.
Counting Your Moments
If you’re 45 and your mom is 65 or 70 — even if she lives to 80 and you see her twice a year — you have 20 to 30 visits left. Here’s Jesse Itzler breaking that down better than anyone.
Don’t let that time slip away.
Having lost my mother to cancer three years ago, I’d give anything for one more day, one more moment, one more memory. See how she changed my life in my TEDx talk.
That loss taught me one thing: don’t wait.
And do the same with the woman who gave you the greatest gift of all — fatherhood.
Your wife, your partner, the mother of your children, deserves that same love and attention every single day.
So here’s your takeaway: Call your mom. Call your wife. Call any woman who’s made an impact on your life and thank her for believing in you.
Then record a video. Tell her what she means to you. Send it — so she can watch it over and over again.
Together we raise each other higher.
— Stephen Seidel
Co-founder, Gents Journey
💻 REAL MEN HAVE A COACH IN THEIR CORNER
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Until next week,
—The Gents
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