Parents often unwittingly take advantage of their relationship with their children. It's important that conscious effort is made to help children feel loved and appreciated.
Although deep within, kids can instinctively feel a parent's love, displaying affection in small, meaningful ways helps kids grasp the realness and the power of love. Try the following ideas to blend a little adoration into a child's life.
Daily Affections
Small, unexpected things can make a lasting impression. The following ideas take little time, but these kind of heartfelt gestures are very powerful.
- Leave a sweet, succinct note on the child's pillow at night. "You are a fantastic cook!" or "You make me swell with pride" are some examples.
- Leave a special treat for the child in the mailbox, and ask him to go get the mail for you. A nice surprise will leave a smile on his face.
- Do one of her least favorite chores for her on one of her down days.
- Come to wake him up in the morning with goofy face paint on. It might lead to a magical day.
- Sing "I love you" in a dramatic, crackly voice as loud as humanly possible to her. She'll be pleasantly shocked by the whimsical love.
- Leave a new, sought after book in his book bag without his knowledge.
Words of Love
Children need words of love to help them feel needed and secure. Long monologue or sonnets are quite unnecessary. If a parent is conscious when a child is talking, then words of encouragement naturally flow. "You are such a green thumb," "I admire your hard work," "My life is so much fuller with you in it," and "You are my best friend" are some examples of heartfelt words to sneak into a child's heart. The rules are simple: when a child does something right, compliment them; when a child does something wrong, encourage them; whenever the thought of appreciation crosses the mind, verbally express it to them.
Special Gestures
Taking a little extra effort to express love a child is a winning investment. Everyone needs to feel special, and parents have the unique job of helping children to find their place in the world. Here are some ideas that can help kids to shine.
- Take a child on a date night. Popcorn and a movie is a classic, as is an evening walk in the park to watch the sunset.
- Make a CD or a playlist with favorite songs on it. They'll love the time and attention spent of creating it.
- Create a small book of pictures and take a walk down memory lane. Relive special moments together.
- Blindfold the child and take her to a surprise favorite destination.
- Make a candlelight dinner at home for two, complete with wine glasses of juice, linens, and flowers.
A parent's love knows no boundaries, but sometimes making it practical slips the mind. Daily affections, heartfelt words, and gestures of appreciation are ways to make conscious parenting a higher priority. Expressing love to children not only blesses them, but also fills the parent's heart with a deeper love.
Resources:
Counseling Corner has a good list of ways parents can show kids they care that may be useful.
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