Showing Love For Children Everyday

In a household with children it is very easy to get caught up into the hustle and bustle of everyday. Between getting kids up, ready for school and out the door, you also have the various activities, practices, and sleepovers to contend with. The bottom line, parenting can feel like a never ending race sometimes !

Sometimes as parents it's easy to forget that children want just a couple things; 1. To spend time with their parents. Actual time, not time while your running them here and there. 2. To know they are loved.

The spending time part of this is pretty easy to incorporate into your schedule. Even if it's only once a week, set a specific time to spend with your child by his/herself. This is especially important if you have more than one child. It's so easy for children to get shuffled in the mix of our everyday lives.

How to show love to your kids, might sound like an odd thing because we say " I love you" and tend to think that's good enough. Of course, saying I love you is great, but here are some easy things to incorporate into your daily life that can enhance your relationship with your child. It's easy to forget that our children ARE people, and have the same needs we have as adults. They will eventually grow up, and hopefully be your friend someday...

1. SMILE at your child. This sounds so extremely simple, but is one of the easiest things to incorporate into your daily life. When your child walks into a room, giving them a big smile does something lasting for a child. Love can actually "be felt" from a smile.

2. Write little notes for your child. You can write them on Post-Its and stick them around where they will see them. Say encouraging or "loving" types of things, like " I love you, Your Great, You're pretty, You're a great kid, and You're special." Or sometimes draw little pictures. This is something that only takes a minute, but continues to re-affirm your love for your child.

3. Spend personal time with your child. You don't have to spend a lot of money. This is something that a lot of parents think makes their kids happy, but the opposite is actually true. Kids want you, not what you can give them. Go to a park, a walking trail and pick up "treasures" together, make a craft together, go outside and pick flowers, throw a ball back and forth, these are just a few ideas.

4. Hug and kiss your child(ren.)

5. If you lose your temper, say you're sorry. This is critical, we all "lose it" sometimes as parents but in the same way we apologize to our significant other if we "lose it" this should also be done with children. Kids get their feelings hurt very easy, and are very sensitive.