MUM'S the word ... no matter what day you want to celebrate it.

The Arab world's Mothering Sunday is on March 21 and expat Brits will be sending flowers and cards a week earlier although members of the US 5th Fleet based in Bahrain will be waiting until May.

Confused? Well, what about finding the perfect gift? GulfWeekly asked a selection of parents what they wanted for Mother's Day and what they thought had been the best present they had given to their own mums.

Linda Martin Aviet, 42, is from Armenia and now lives in Awali. She has three children, Isa, 10, Victoria, seven, and Elizabeth, three. She said: "For Mother's Day I wish that my children would never fall sick again. Isa and Victoria are asthmatic and also suffer from nut allergies and it is hard to deal with the constant stress of their health conditions.

"I belong to a family of seven sisters and a couple of years ago, each one of us contributed some money and bought a gold heart and a chain for our mother on Mother's Day with our name inscribed at the back of the heart. That was the best Mother's Day gift that she has ever received.

Haoling Lewis, 39, from China, lives in Budaiya and has two children Timothy, nine, and Vivienne, six. She said: "In China we celebrate Mother's Day in the first week of May. I always send my mother flowers and since this year it is going to be her 70th birthday I plan to travel to China for her birthday celebrations.

"For Mother's Day, I would like time off and for someone to take over so that I could go out and do my own thing ... perhaps go for shopping or have coffee on my own."

Ala Fatin, 38, is Swedish-Iranian and lives in Riffa. She has two children Dorna, nine, and Daniel, six, and said: "It is nice to have a day where mums are appreciated. On Mother's Day I would love to have a gift voucher for a day at the spa and spend the time pampering myself. I usually design a dress for my mother as a Mother's Day gift for her because she loves clothes. As for myself, I normally get roses from my husband and children."

Australian Amanda Clarke, 40, lives in Saar and has three children, Lucy, 10, Tommy, seven, and Maggie, 21-months. "Being a mum is a unique role as you are a central figure in the family unit," she said. "For me being with my family and remembering my mother is the best way to celebrate it. Every year - since I was eight years old - on Mother's Day I gave my mother coffee in bed and prepared a special breakfast for her and made sure that she didn't have to do household chores."

Brit Charlotte Leap, 40, also lives in Saar and has three children, Isobel, six, Chloe, four, and Robbie, three. She said: "Mother's Day is a wonderful day because it allows mums to be appreciated - normally it is a thankless job. On Mother's Day I would like to have a nice relaxing day with my family. Last year it was my mother's 80th birthday and all of us surprised her and I think that was the best thing that we have done for her as a family."