Five Simple Things to Do Today (and Every Day) to Show Love for Your Children

Posted on October 18, 2015 |

Put down the devices! If you are eating a meal together, leave all electronics off the table. If you are watching your child play soccer, resist the urge to look at your phone. While looking at your phone, you may not miss the play of the year, but your child may see your distraction and receive the message that your phone is more important than watching him/her play.
Say “Thank you”. Even if you had to ask/tell your child 100 times to clean his/her room, do chores, etc., when it is done, say, “Thank you.” Everyone wants to be appreciated, especially for completing undesirable tasks. Don’t worry – saying “thank you” for something that is expected and necessary does not undermine the fact that it is expected.
Say, “I love you.” Yes, it is important to show love. But it is also important to say it. So say it in the morning, say it sending your child off to school, say it at bedtime.
Sneak a love note in your child’s lunch or school folder. Or leave it on your child’s pillow. Yep, even for your teenager. Especially your teenager.
Spend some time alone together, just you and your child, even if it just for five minutes. Remove all distractions, and really pay attention to what your child is saying. Or not saying. Just BE together, in the absence of laundry, siblings, homework, devices. Sit together in quiet stillness, or pick a topic and talk about it. Just BE together and connect.