Do you have a daughter or child who is in constant need of a reminder that she is loved? How do you give more attention to your daughter to help her feel more loved? I noticed recently that my daughter needs to be reminded that I love her. Above and beyond the simple “I love you”. The need has increased since her brother learned to speak. So how then do I show her love? enough to feed her needs? I do the following and you can also.
Smile When She Walks into a Room
I make sure to smile when she walks into a room, especially when she was out of my presence for a prolonged period of time. Toni Morison said it best on Oprah’s Life Class. Smiling and getting excited when a child walks into a room is a sure-fire way to show a child that you love them and boost their confidence.
Affirm Her
What better way to show love than affirmation. Imagine if when you were growing up, a parent was constantly affirming you. Use words of affirmation on your child, “I am so lucky to be your mom or dad,’ “you just brighten up my day every time,” “my world is brighter every time I see your smile,”. For my daughter, I say I love you a lot because she loves hearing it, I also pay attention to her efforts and compliment her when she makes even the slightest effort.
Hug Her
Through your love and affection, your child will discover her love language and for some, it might be touch. So, hug her, give her sugar and embrace her with every opportunity you have to hug and cuddle.
Why She Needs the Love
Your daughter needs to know that you care for her because you represent her first impression of love. It sets a tone for setting expectations for how others in her life will treat her. When you have a child who needs you to constantly remind her that she is love, you just love her. Pay attention to what gives her joy and do more of it, pay attention to the things she does in order to get your attention and in those times reinforce your appreciation for simply being her parent.
I know that I have fond memories of my childhood. Mostly the times spent with my granny because she knew my love language and used is so well to build me up and improve our bond. What fond memories do you have from your childhood? How can you apply that to your children’s childhood?
Thanks for exploring this topic with me.
4 Comments
Kelly Chen
What an amazing message. How parents raise their kids definitely sets a tone for how they expected to be treated in future relationships. Thanks for the reminder. xo
Jennie Mayes
These are great tips. I’ve seen research that hugs are so important in a child’s development and feelings of self-worth. It gets a bit more difficult as they get older, but I make a point to still give my tween and teen hugs.
Tana
What a beautiful reminder for us as parents to take a step back, assess our children’s needs, and respond accordingly! Some kids need more affirmation than others and it’s important for us to be aware how to speak our child’s unique love language.
Dani
I love how to tender and thoughtful you are. I especially love the part where you said “Your daughter needs to know that you care for her because you represent her first impression of love. It sets a tone for setting expectations for how others in her life will treat her.” It something profound and parents everywhere need to get this.