7 Powerful Ways to Show Love to Children
by Steve Brunkhorst
Our children are our most important legacy to the world. However, our love is
our most important legacy to our children. Here are seven ways to show love that
will help children build sturdy foundations for the future.
1. Spend Time with Your Children
Time is the most loving gift we can give to our children. It allows for the
mutual exchange of ideas, emotions, actions, and words that help our children
develop and learn to communicate.
Enjoy a toddler's tea parties as well as a teen's ball games. Help your children
build things and create art. Begin new family traditions that you can enjoy
together each year. Ample time spent in mutually enjoyable activities will
create memories you will always treasure.
2. Be the Primary Role Model for Your Children
Children need examples to follow. Teach practical values to your children by
modeling those values. Admit when you have made a mistake and apologize. Model
being committed to the ideals you embrace. Demonstrate the advantage of
integrity over peer pressure.
We teach and influence children more through actions than words. We are our
children's first heroes; the ideals that we live today are the ideals that will
influence our children throughout life.
3. Listen to Your Children
A child's message is one of his or her most essential gifts. We build
self-esteem in children when we show interest in what they have to say. Children
need to communicate their pride of accomplishment as well as their needs.
Get down at eye level with very young children and listen with your eyes, ears,
and heart. Listen most of all to the feelings conveyed through a child's eyes
and expressions. If you listen to your children deeply, they will grow up
listening deeply to you.
4. Provide Your Children with Loving Discipline
Children need guidelines and safe boundaries without being constrained
unnecessarily. They need to learn the value of being accountable for their
choices and actions.
Let your children know that you disapprove of hurtful actions but will always
love them as sons and daughters. Loving discipline enables them to recognize the
best in other people. It allows children the freedom to explore the world safely
and reach their highest potential.
5. Give Your Children Encouragement
Encouraging words are powerful emotional deposits of confidence and self-esteem.
Verbally acknowledge your children's special talents and accomplishments. Catch
your children doing something great, and tell them what a great job they have
done.
Children need to know that we recognize and support their hopes and dreams for
the future. Encouraging children to grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually
provides the foundation for living a balanced life.
6. Share Your Experiences with Your Children
We each have valuable stories to tell, unique maps of our journey through life.
These stories tell how our reactions to events created the life we are living
now. Sharing the benefit of your experiences - the roadblocks and rewards - is a
very loving way to guide your children.
Your children may face many of the situations you faced. Your experiences can
help them make informed decisions and avoid unnecessary mistakes. Among the most
worthwhile possessions that we can someday leave for our children are journals
filled with the stories that shaped our lives.
7. Love and Support Your Children Unconditionally
Love is an unconditional gift from the heart; it is not a reward for good
behavior. Let your children know that you will love and support them in any
situation. This message creates a sturdy bond of trust. Your children will grow
to feel safe in coming to you with any problem they face.
Children need the freedom to make decisions, try new things, and learn that life
requires personal responsibility and persistence. They need the freedom to fail
and learn from mistakes without being judged. Unconditional love helps them to
acquire the decisiveness and resiliency required to become successful.
If you could sum up all of our children's needs, hopes, and expectations in one
word, that word would be love. We share love when we play a central role in our
children's world of learning and discovery. Our legacy of love will have a
guiding influence upon our children and grandchildren for many generations.
© Copyright by Steve Brunkhorst. Steve is a professional life success
coach, motivational author, and the editor of Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of
Inspiration, a popular mini-zine bringing great stories, motivational nuggets,
and inspiring thoughts to help you achieve more in your career and personal
life. Get the next issue at
http://www.AchieveEzine.com