As a homeschooler I am around my kids 24/7/365….well, almost that much time anyway!
Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOOOOOOVE my kids with everything in my being, as the saying goes, “You are the only one that truly knows my heart, because you heard it from the inside.” I seriously do love them, but sometimes because of the constant presence of them, I tend to forgot to show them just how much I do care.
So, in honor of my kids and how much I really do love them, I have created a very easy and simple list of 5 things you can do to show your kids you care.
1.) Hug them every morning ~ By starting out the day on “the right foot”, it sets a predetermined direction to your day. Now, I am not saying that just because you hug your kid that your day is going to peachy keen……because, if you have kids like mine, there are bound to be issues. But, you can help jump start the day with a show of affection. This is like the cement between the bricks while you are laying your foundation. Without this “cement” the bricks tend to break and crack from all of the outside pressure. If you are the cement and are a constant show of love and affection then the moments that would normally “break” the bricks, will only slide off instead of allowing cracks to form. Hug often, not just in the mornings, hug when ever you see an opportunity. Even if your kid is the not so touchy feely type, hugs mean the world to kids (well, to anybody, really!), silent signs of affection, the true cement of mama love.
2.) Sit and Listen to Them ~ I read not to long ago that if you do not listen to even the slightest little things that your kids are talking about, then when the BIG things come around, don’t expect them to talk to you about those. At first that didn’t make sense to me, that I finished reading the comment……..because the little things now are important to them. Oooooooh, well then, yeah, that makes more sense to me. So, focus on your kids, really listen. Stop typing, stop reading, stop reading email, watching TV, etc….look at your kid and focus on what they are talking about. I cannot tell you how many times I catch myself nodding and agreeing then I realize I have no idea what was just said to me. UGH…….I have been trying to make a constant effort to stop everything I am doing, look at the child that is talking to me, and make sure I understand and then acknowledge what was said. Amazingly, those moments can sometimes turn into game changing moments. A moment just like that showed up at my house a few nights ago…..I needed to reassure one of my children that no matter what is said about a sibling, said child is very important too. If I have just brushed off the “whiny, complaining comment” then I would have blown a game changing moment. Thank God I was really paying attention or I would have missed my opportunity to reaffirm my love and support for said child.
3.) Do Something Fun with Them ~ I know that sounds basic in nature, but I mean it wholeheartedly. Fun : (1) something that provides mirth or amusement (2) enjoyment or playfulness. So your kid wants to play cards, make time to play cards. Your kid wants to play with the cars and trucks, make time to get down and play with them. Color? Draw? Paint? Then dump out the goods and have a seat….these are memory making moments. Ones that are so very important for the growth of your child. By taking time to do some of the things they want to do, you are showing them that they too are important. My kids love to draw so I have had to work hard on my draw skills……and yet, even with all of my practice, my kids are totally way better than I am! I am not saying that you are to be the ultimate playmate, you do not need to be at their beck and call or anything like that. I mean, when the time is right, make the time to play with your kids. Those play filled moments will last a lifetime for them. I still remember when I was younger that my daddy taught me to play poker…..yes, I said poker! And I was good at it, well, maybe I was good at it, I think now that he probably stacked the deck more times than not! I also remember that my mom taught me how to play Gin Rummy and regular Rummy….she kicked my rump for years before I finally was able to beat her! Sweet, sweet memories! Playtime, it’s for Making Memories!
4.) Read to Them ~ I love to read and I love to read out loud too. I used to practice reading out loud to my stuffed animals when I was young, I guess it was for times like now. I read out loud to my kids almost every single day, at least I try to. Now, honestly, I do not always want to read but I try to make the best of it anyway. We just finished reading The Wind in the Willows a week or so ago and we had so much fun! The kids really got into the story, okay, yea, I admit it, I did too. We cracked up over the antics of Mr. Toad and the seriousness of Mr. Badger. It brought the kids and I into the same plane of existence. It made us equals for a short time. There was no competition between siblings, no fussiness from me, no time limit that we were spending together. The pure joy of the written word was the bond that held us together. Sweet, sweet memories. Now, I am not saying that you need to jump into a novel tomorrow, start small. Depending on the age of your child also depends on what material you read. My Bubbaloo (he is almost 5 years old) didn’t take to The Wind in the Willows at first. He wasn’t really “into” the book almost until we were done with it. But, I was okay with that because he still heard and saw me reading, therefore making memories. Reading has been shown to improve reading ability as well as learning to speak. So even if your little one is still really little, read anyway, it will be one of the best things you do for your child.
5.) Pray for Them and Then Tell Them that You Pray for Them ~ It is so very easy to let things fall by the way side. Okay, maybe it is just me, but I tend to forget certain things. Like telling my kids that I pray for them. Praying for my kids is so very important, because honestly, who else is going to pray with more conviction that me? I pray for different aspects of each child, not just a general prayer over each one of them. But I sometimes forget to let them know that I am praying for them. Why is this important, you ask? Because it will reinforce that you have their back. I know, mamas always have their kids backs, right? Absolutely! But, by telling them that you are praying for them also shows them that you (as the coolest parent ever!) must rely on the Lord. You are teaching them that it is perfectly normal to talk to God, to ask him for things, to go to him in counsel, to thank him for providing or maintaining. By praying for your children and then by telling them that you do so, makes God much more real in their life. If mama talks to God, then so can I. YES! That is what I am talking about, teaching them diligently. Cover your child in blessings, speak life into their life, thank God for them, just make sure you share with them about it. No, you do not need to share exactly what was prayed about just the fact that you prayed for them.
A lot goes into each child that God blesses us with and I will be the first to admit that I do not always even come close to being the God fearing Christian mama I so yearn to be. But, with the Bible as my foundation and the saving grace of my Lord and heavenly Father, I will do the utmost to make sure that my blessings are covered in prayer, played with, read to, listened to and hugged, each and everyday. They deserve that much from me and I pray for more happy memories with mama.
I love to hear your comments, would you share with me your ideas on how you show your kids that you care about them?
Many blessings today and everyday,
Linked-up with Time-Warp Wife on Titus 2uesday
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