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In light of the just-concluded children’s day, we thought it best to share with you some simple ways you can show or express love to your children.

While it’s fairly easy to be intentionally thoughtful on special days like birthdays, let’s be honest, being intentional about expressing love to your children during day-to-day life can get lost in the mix of… well surviving. 

However, for your child, being loved is a means of emotional survival.

In human development, it’s been stated that a child comes into the world with the vital primary needs of safety and security, and these needs get met through responsive and attuned caregivers.

Put simply, the thousands of small moments of love you show your child throughout their early life, are the building blocks for their emotional health and future relationships. One of the most important things we as parents and caregivers can give to our kids is that caring attuned attention.

Making it a priority to show love to our children clearly and regularly has the following benefits:

  • meets your child’s basic need for safety and security
  • improves confidence
  • decreases stress
  • improves academic performance
  • enhances better parent-child communication
  • fosters healthy emotional developmental
  • creates more positive social interactions
  • increases empathy

Showing kids love doesn’t have to be an elaborate or fancy affair, and to be honest, it can most definitely happen in the small moments of daily life.

Today, we’ve put together 20 ways you can show love to your children (and boost their emotional well-being) today!

20 ways to show your kids you love them: 

This list, will hopefully, help you remember how important small daily acts of love are to your child

  1. Apologize when you mess up
  2. Tell them a story about your childhood
  3. Listen to them
  4. Take a 1:1 walk around the neighbourhood 
  5. Make eye contact when you’re talking to them
  6. Join in their play
  7. Ask about the high/low of their day.
  8. Ask how you can help them out (assignments etc.)
  9. Let them express their emotions
  10. Watch their favorite movie with them (even if you hate it or have seen it a thousand times)
  11. Read to them
  12. Frame a picture of you together for their room
  13. Include them in a typical ‘grown-up’ job
  14. Limit screen time
  15. Give them your absolute undivided attention 
  16. Ask them their opinion on something important 
  17. Meditate or pray together
  18. Genuinely compliment them
  19. Set goals with them
  20. Help them pursue their interests

Demonstrating love for a child doesn’t need to come with a big price tag. As your family’s schedule (and the stresses of the world) ebb and flow, work with the time and resources you have.