In our busy 24/7 world, these are the 10 ways I show my kids I love them everyday. Because kids don’t need big gestures, they just need to know you love them.
The alarm goes off and the race is on! Get up, get dressed, wake your children, feed everyone breakfast and shuttle everyone to their respective schools. It’s enough to make a sane person crazy and I would only classify myself as sane half the time! Even though I have my own tips and tricks for getting out the door each morning, it can be easy to forget that your children don’t care so much that you are on time, or dressed nice or that their teeth are brushed. They just want to know they are loved, safe, and protected.
1. I wake my girls up with a kiss on the cheek – It’s a simple gesture that helps to start their morning off right. Even if we are running behind, they begin their day knowing I love them.
2. I play with them – Like REALLY play with them. Not just sit there with my phone in hand. I dress up Barbie dolls, change baby’s stinky diaper, sing karaoke. You name it. I allow myself to be in the moment with each of my girls for at least 30 minutes a day (more in the summer!)
3. I read to my kids – Reading to them every day allows us time to just sit and snuggle but it also shows them that reading is important and something to love! If you are looking for book ideas for your toddler and preschooler, check out this article!
4. I cook dinner for them – No, this does not mean we have some culinary delight every night. Or any night for that matter! But they know that come dinner time, there will be food on the table. And that Mom took the time and wherewithal to plan it out and cook it. I believe deep in their mind already, food is associated with love (in a positive way).
5. I let them help out around the house in age-appropriate ways – I love my girls by helping prepare them for the real world. They can’t just drop their dirty clothes in the floor. Bookbags need to be brought in. Shoes go in the laundry room. Dirty dishes need to be brought over to the sink. And so on and so on. I’m not trying to run a sweat shop, but doing EVERYTHING for my girls wouldn’t really show that I love them.
6. I am engaged in their school life – I help with homework, I volunteer at school when possible, I send in school supplies, and I say only good things about their teachers. By showing that I believe school is important and that their teachers are deserving of respect, I am instilling these values in my girls. For easy and inexpensive ways to show your child’s teacher some love, click here!
7. I wash their clothes – silly isn’t it? But just like dinner, these simple acts we do everyday as moms show our kids we love them.
8. I ask about their day – After school I can’t wait to hear all the fun details of their school day. I am genuinely interested because as my mom says, a mother is only as happy as her most unhappy child. I want to know that today was a good day, that they learned something new, that they had fun with their friends. These are important for my happiness.
9. I ask their opinion – So my girls are 6 and 3 so no, I’m not asking them if they feel like going to school today. But I do involve them in our family decisions. For example, we recently started going to a new church. My husband and I loved the service, the pastor and the child care area. But we asked both of our girls how they felt about the new church and asked if they enjoyed their time there. Because their opinion does count in this family, especially in a decision that impacts our whole family. This doesn’t mean they always get what they want, but at least they know they are important enough to be asked!
10. I pray for them and with them – I pray for them in the morning on the way to school. I pray with them before meals. I pray for them when they have a boo boo or a virus. I pray with them at night just before they go to sleep. I talk to them about the love I have for them and how great it is but that God loves them even more than I do (even though I myself have a hard time grasping this because I love them so much). I pray for them and with them because I want them to know that even when I am not with them, they are never alone. And the love I have for them is carried on those words directly to Heaven as I say them.
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I love all of these! I always go to bed at night wondering if my day showed how much I loved my kiddo. We all do our best, and I think they know that =)
Great post! I need to remember just to play with them too! It’s so hard when you get busy with life.
Beautiful! This is a real encouragement to me that some of the everyday things we do actually show our kids we love them. Thank you for this!
I love all of these and do all of these as well! Each night I ask “Did I love you enough today?” I love the answers! They are almost always yes, but sometimes my 4 year old has fabulous reasoning for a “no.” Hahaha!