Tell Them "I Like You"

I made this poster for my kiddos for Valentine's day today. Information technology is Version 2. Funny story, actually, about how those three influence me creatively, and push me to be a better parent. You can read it beneath, or just enjoy the fine art!

So the other night, as I lay next to him on his bed, my sensitive and sweetness little six-twelvemonth quondam boy asks, "Practise y'all like me?" I remain outwardly calm and tell him that not merely do I similar him, I LOVE him!!! Duh?! Just this is non the reply he is looking for. He says that of form I love him, I'g his mom. But practise I like him? I spend the adjacent thirty to 85 minutes telling him every last thing I like about him and kiss him a yard times. Then nosotros snuggle some more than and I wait for him to fall asleep, but similar the old days.

The next twenty-four hours I give him cookies for breakfast and write him a lovey note in his lunchbox. Then, afterwards he gets on the double-decker, I determine I am going to brand him some art so that he will always know how much I really like him. In fact, I am going to make i for all 3 of them and then also talk to my girls that dark to make certain they know I really like them, too. I have work to do. I'm all over it!

I design a simple poster with hand lettering that says:I don't merely love you, I like you. A few days later on, I show him Version 1 (although at the fourth dimension I didn't know it was V1). "Look what I made you lot! Information technology says that I don't merely dear yous, I like y'all". He looks at my masterpiece for a second, then says to me, "That's only mean, mom". Oh no, no, no. It doesn't say I don't love you, information technology says I don't just love you. Y'all know, like the chat we had the other night? But he darts off with his hockey stick. Later, I show my center daughter. She reads it and says, "I don't go it". More explaining. Y'all know, how I don't but love you lot only I really like you and I like being with you. She says, "You should say all that, as well, considering then people will understand". Really? Now I'yard feeling similar my affiche sucks. Well, I'll show it to my oldest. She ever has good insight and reliably constructive feedback. Gauge what? She likes it! After I tell her she's my new favorite, we laugh about what those other two said (they are so clueless!). She leaves my office and I hear her say to my son in the kitchen, "Hey, I like y'all!" He takes out his mouthguard and says to her, "Yeah, mom already told me that joke". Joke? Hmmm.

I make up one's mind to showtime over. Information technology needs to be a flake more clear. Version 2 is better. At least they sympathize information technology and I don't have to explicate. But all of this work has made me realize something. I remember my son, with his original question, was maybe just trying to become me to spend more fourth dimension with him that nighttime. And you might think, reading this, that I am so stupid because plain that's what he was doing. Simply as the female parent, you just don't desire to risk it. Maybe in that location was a modest two or 7% chance that he was feeling unsure? And that right there is why parenting is the hardest task in the universe. We never really know what is going on in their heads and what they are feeling in their hearts. So why not just go overboard? Better safety than sorry. Amend too much than not enough. Right?

I am not talking most praise. By now we've all been very enlightened by the 1 billion articles out there on how too much praise is bad, very bad. I am not even talking near honey, which we conspicuously know tin be dished out in loads and loads and never be also much. What I am talking virtually is the very thing that is actually the hardest for all of united states busy parents to give, and that is fourth dimension. Simply, my son just wanted my time.

This episode was a poignant reminder for me that our kids really desire to know that we like existence with them. Spending our precious time with them is really how we show them that they are indeed fun and interesting. They are worthwhile. For me, I similar finding those small moments when we are alone and tin can play a quick game of tic-tac-toe, or they can show me their best dance movement, or tell me about their favorite show. Just small, ordinary moments when they have my full and undivided attention.

Another mode of giving our attention is paying them a compliment. Information technology makes them feel noticed. Starting sentences with "I similar…" and finding something positive to say e'er leads to a prissy exchange. This Valentine's day, I am challenging myself to a year of compliments. Not simply for my kids, but my married man, as well. (Specially him, terminal i on the totem pole. If you're reading this D, I similar your funky hair today.) One compliment a day, or more if the mood strikes.

Thank you for reading. Keep up the skillful work! Have a Happy Valentine'southward Day…

…and I similar your smile.♥

xo, Bar

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Source: https://www.artbarblog.com/tell-them-i-like-you/

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