11 Simple Ways to Show Your Child You Love Him

The best (and most fundamental) gifts we can give our children are acceptance, stability, and most importantly: love . Of course parents love their children. But love is not just a noun, it is also a verb. Showing love for your child can sometimes be complicated. There are small ways to express this feeling to your child so that they feel like they are truly loved – and this feeling of love can improve every aspect of their life.

“Love and security reassure kids that they don’t have to worry about adult problems and gives them the freedom to just be kids,” says Amy Morin, psychotherapist, podcast host and author of ’13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don’t Do’ , in Portuguese, ’13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don’t Do’ . “When children feel safe and loved, they are free to focus on other things – like learning and creativity .” Here’s what experts say can help your child feel more loved.

Children need to feel loved and sometimes it’s hard to know if you’re showing enough (Photo: Shutterstock)

Listen to your child

Your child wants to know that he is important to you. A good way to do this? Make sure he knows you’re interested in his thoughts. “Put down the electronics and show a sincere interest in what your child has to say,” says Morin. “Talk to him, ask his opinion on various real-world issues, and show that his thoughts and ideas are important to you.”

Have fun together

There is no need to make everything a learning activity or a challenge. Find ways to simply have you and your child have fun together. “ Play , be silly, fun and enter their world”, suggests Morin. “Allow for unstructured, unplanned time just to be together. This is the best way to bond with children and show them that you value them enough to create time to spend together.”

Hug your child more

Saying ‘I love you’ to your child is very important, but don’t underestimate the power of physical touch to strengthen your loving bond with your child regardless of age. “Especially for teenagers, who no longer come running asking for it, they still need physical security – just like adults,” says Peg Sadie, psychotherapist and self-care coach. “Make an effort to hug him every day, as much as you can.”

Invest in small gestures

Not the kind of loving parent? All good. You can still show your love with small gestures. Morin suggests that parents make cute notes and put them in their children’s lunchbox or school backpack, for example. Give compliments . Congratulate on any achievement. Say nice things about your child in front of other people. “Your actions speak volumes about how much you care about him,” she insists. “He will feel loved when you do little extra things for him or when you say nice things about him.”

Create a special routine together

This ritual does not need to be complicated or expensive. The “commodity” you are giving your child here is your time. “Maybe it’s a tongue twister or a song you both like or a fun bedtime routine, or baking cookies together on Sundays,” says Sadie. “Whatever it is, do it regularly, as part of your routine, and make it unique and special for each person.”

Include your child in family decisions

Asking your child’s opinion, whether it’s where to buy takeaway food or something bigger like what they think about moving house, acknowledges that what they have to say is important and that you value their opinion. “Knowing that they also have something to say increases their sense of belonging, as well as security,” says Sadie.

Saying ‘I love you’ to your child is very important, but don’t underestimate the power of physical touch to strengthen your loving bond regardless of age (Photo: Getty Images)

Maintain a routine in your home

Children develop consistently. “Maintain the child ‘s bedtime , mealtime, wake-up time, homework schedule, and extracurricular activities,” says Fran Walfish, family and relationship psychotherapist and author of ‘The Self-Aware Parent.’ , in Portuguese, ‘The Self-Conscious Father’ . “The more stable your child’s life and routine, the more he will feel safe and loved and the less he will suffer from anxiety .”

Pay attention to all your children equally

If you have two or more children, making each of them feel loved, safe, and important takes a little more planning and thought. But how to do this? It’s not difficult, just take a look:

Honor their individuality : Don’t compare your children and support each child’s talents and activities. “If one of them wants to be a football player and the other wants to play the clarinet, show them that you value their interests — even when they aren’t things you can relate to,” says Morin.

Spend one-on-one time with each child: Every child wants and needs to feel important and be the center of their parents’ attention, says Dr. Walfish. Spend at least 10 to 15 minutes a day providing individual attention while doing an activity your child loves. This is another time when experts say you should put down your phone and pay your full attention to your child.

Understand the importance of family dynamics

You may not realize that family dynamics are impacting your child, but their environment can play a very important role when it comes to making them feel your love. Children learn a lot about relationships by seeing how their parents interact. “Parents who show affection and love for each other teach their children to treat family members the same way,” says Morin. Being a good example is important, as your child watches everything you do.

Understand that material things do not equate to love

It may sound cliché, but children actually prefer your presence over your gifts. Morin encourages parents to look back on their own childhoods and consider what they remember most. “You’ll probably remember doing fun activities with your parents,” says Morin. “And you probably don’t remember what you got for your birthday when you were 10 years old. With that in mind, it’s important to think about the life lessons you want your children to learn and the kind of memories you want to create with them.”

There are small ways to express your love to your child so they feel like they are truly loved – and that feeling of love can improve every aspect of your life (Photo: Getty Images)

Support your child even when they make mistakes

Children need to know they are loved, even if they make a mistake. “Be the support he needs,” says Laura Gerak, Ph.D., a pediatric psychologist at Akron Children’s Hospital. Tell him you’re proud of him for taking responsibility, and then use it as a learning opportunity for the future. Dr. Gerak suggests that parents talk about the situation and ask the following questions: What did you learn? What would you do differently next time?

“It gives them the message that they won’t always be perfect, no one is, but that you have faith that they are competent and will find a way to deal with it,” she adds. At the same time, you are also building their trust as you help them find ways to fix their own mistakes rather than stepping in for them. A double victory!