Our children are our greatest pleasure and greatest responsibility in this world. The thing that our children need most from us as parents is our love. Here are seven ways you can show your children that you love them.

Our attention is one of our most valuable resources. Everyone wants it. Our jobs demand it. Our spouses desire it. Commercial advertising is fighting for it. However, more than anyone else, our children need our attention most.

A child would rather misbehave and get spanked or punished severely, than to have his parents not pay attention to him. Your child desires your attention and will do just about anything to get it. Your child needs your attention that much. You should do everything you can to give your child the attention he needs in positive constructive ways.

Your attention is the most loving gift you can give to your child. It will allow you to share your child's thoughts and feeling and will make you a part of your child's life.

Enjoy your child's art projects and your teen's ball games. Create and share family traditions that your family can enjoy together each year. The shared memories you build will be the family treasure that will connect your family and keep your family together for a life time.

Children learn by following the example of others. They follow the example of their "television heroes" or of character they read about in books. They learn from adults that they see in their lives such as their teachers. However, your child's most important role model is you, your child's parent.

We all wish our children would do what we say and not what we do. However, your child's mind doesn't work that way. Your child's ability to reason is not yet developed. As a result your child absorbs everything he sees around him. He learns more from what he observes than what he is taught.

Your child is going to pattern himself after you. You should do everything you can to make sure you are the picture of what you want you child to become.

Model good character. Teach your child values by demonstrating those values to him. Admit when you are wrong and take responsibility for your mistakes. Show your commitment to those ideals that you hold.

We influence our children through our actions not our words. Make sure that your actions inspire your child to be the person you would like him to become.

Your child wants to share his life with you. He wants to communicate his accomplishments to you and receive your acknowledgment and praise for his achievements. Even before your child knows how to use words he will try to talk to you and tell you things.

When you listen to your child, you are showing interest in him as a person. This is a very powerful way to build your child's self-esteem. What he is telling you may not seem significant, but it is important to him. When you pay attention to what your child says, you are acknowledging that your child is important to you.

So listen to your child, and do this with your eyes, your ears, and your heart. When your child is talking to you and the phone rings, don't answer. Your child is talking. No one else should be more important to you.

If you listen to your child when he is speaking, then you are teaching him to listen to you when you speak. You will be teaching your child mutual respect, which is something that bond you together throughout your lives.

Children need boundaries. They must be taught to be accountable for their actions. This is where appropriate discipline comes in.

When you discipline your child, make sure that it is clear to him that you love your child but disapprove of the action. Give clear and fair guidelines for conduct without giving unnecessary constraints.

When you discipline your child with love, you give your child the opportunity to explore his world safely and to reach his fullest potential.

When you encourage your child, you build his confidence and self-esteem. You need to praise your child's special talents. When your child does something great, let him know that you noticed it. Tell him specifically what a great job he has done and why.

Your child needs to know that you value and support his dreams and aspirations. Giving encourage to your child will give him the confidence to go on to accomplish great things and use his full potential.

A lot of things have happened to you in your life. These events have shaped your life and the way you think about the world. Some of these were good things that happened, some were difficulties you faced. But everything that you have lived through has punctuated your life and made you the person you are today.

Your child wants to know these stories. He wants to know the things you did as a child, what happened to you and how you reacted. These stories give him a sense of who you are and the feeling that you are sharing with him your life.

Your stories also help establish a sense of continuity for your child. He sees himself as part of a whole. It makes him feel that he is the continuation of you, your parents, and your ancestors. This gives him a feeling of importance and a sense of belonging. It also sets up a standard of conduct by which he feels obligated to live by. He is not just an individual who can do what he wants just because he feels like it. He is the representative and continuation of a family and as such must behave in such a way that is fitting for his position.

Children who come from families where they have a strong sense of belonging behave better and perform better in live. They have more self respect and a greater sense of dignity. When you share what has happened to you in the past, you give your child this tremendous gift.

The love you show to your child needs to be unconditional. Your child must know that your love is not a reward for good behavior. You must love your child for who he is and not for what he does.

Let your child know that you love him in any situation. This message will create a bond of trust that will carry your child through all difficulties. It will help your child to feel safe with you and secure that no matter what mishaps occur in his life, he has you, his parent, to help and support him.

In summary, your child needs your love. We have discussed seven ways you can share your love with your child. When you show you child that you love him, that you will share with him his successes and his difficulties, you will establish a bond that will last your entire life. The love you show your child will become a guiding influence that will shine upon your child, your grandchildren and even beyond.