Why do you think that is?

Maybe you were not told enough how much you are loved while growing up.

Maybe you feel uncomfortable expressing your love and care for your children.

As much as you do things for yourself, you and I both need to do things for the children.

Because what they are exposed to and how they experience life is what typically will be repeated in their adult lives unless they consciously decide to live differently than how they were raised.

So instead of putting that pressure on our children, why not have us as parents, grandparents, mentors, aunts, and uncles give them their emotional fundamental need, LOVE!!

But that doesn’t come what you buy them, or how big your house is. Love shows up in many ways.

Show love your way.

The K.I.S.S. ~ Show love your way!

If you were to look back at your childhood, how were you shown love? What did it look like?

Did you appreciate how love showed up in your family? What did you like about it? What did you dislike about it?

Then you have to consider what was missing. And this is not where you go back and place blame on your parents and caregivers. Look at it from what it was, so you can decipher how you want to show your love.

There are three things I want you to consider about love and how you show love your way.

1. WARN – You love to protect and shelter. No one parent wants their child hurting or in a situation that will lead to pain and discomfort. So your love at times will come from the depths of warning. That’s okay. But how does that show up? Is it from a domineering perspective or a calm, cool, and collected parent? Just because love is shown one way, doesn’t mean it will be received well. This one overlaps with disciple a lot of the time.
2. UNEXPECTED – You take the moment in time and express your love accordingly (whatever is appropriate at that time). For example, your child is at a dance competition, spelling bee finale, or at wrestling for State. You don’t know the outcome of the competition or moment. So you are kind of flying blind. If your child wins, you are going to celebrate love one way versus if your child loses, you are going to express your love another way (celebratory vs. comforting). Have you ever watched American Idol? If the golden ticket is given, there’s a totally different response than if it’s a NO.
3. RESTORE – This is one that can be so beautiful, but one that is not always expressed. Think of restoration love as forgiveness and grace; loving them where they’re at. It’s the no-strings-attached love. But again, this is not always expressed and so needs to be.

These three areas are ways to remind your child daily of the LOVE you have for him/her.

Don’t let a day go by without your child knowing that you care. It may not be easy to say, “I love you,” but it is so worth the weirdness you might be feeling.

Our children need to be reminded not about all the stuff they have to do, but of the unconditional love we have for them. Share your love today as you show love your way.

“Be present. Be incredible. Be YOU!!!“