If you think your mama is the coolest of them all, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re in the majority!

OnePoll, on behalf of Angara.com, recently surveyed 2,000 Americans about what attributes they think set their mother apart from other parents, and nearly seven out of 10 identified theirs as “the cool mom.” But what’s cooler than being cool? Being open with your kids.

Out of the 68% of the people who answered “cool mom,” 62% followed it up by saying their mama talked to them openly about anything and everything during their upbringing. We know the honest truth can sometimes be hard to discuss with your little ones, but according to this survey, it’s something they’ll remember (and treasure) into their adult years.


Perhaps a less surprising answer on what makes a “cool mom” is relaxing the rules. Over half the respondents said their mama let them get away with things a “normal” mom wouldn’t during their younger years. Gift-giving and self-love are two other key factors because 52% said that their mom’s tendency to spoil not only her loved ones, but herself as well, was what made her stand out from the rest.

In addition to her special attributes, the survey also asked participants about the important lessons they learned from their mom over the years, and the answers ranged from “be responsible” to “live in the moment” to “how to be a super parent.” 68% agreed that they learned to juggle responsibilities and “do it all” by watching their mother. And that’s not just during childhood—in the past year, more than six out of 10 Americans think their mom has been juggling more than ever before.

As a result, three-quarters of respondents think their mom deserves to be extra pampered this Mother’s Day. A luxury getaway (18%), dining out at a fancy restaurant (16%) and fine jewelry (15%) were the top high-end gifts participants said they would purchase to say “thanks” to their mama after an extraordinarily taxing year.

If those gifts are a little out of your price range, we got you. Here’s our list of 21 Mother’s Day Gifts Under $20.