Helping Children Feel Loved

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Ephesians 4:2

Do your children feel loved? I didn’t ask, “Do you love your children?” I know the answer to that. But if you want to make sure your children feel loved, it is not enough to be sincere. You also need to speak your child’s love language.

For some children, quality time is their primary love language. If you don’t give them quality time, they will not feel loved, even if you are giving them words of affirmation, physical touch, gifts, and acts of service. If your children are begging you to do things with them, then quality time is likely their love language. It’s easy to get frustrated with the endless requests, but we need to respond with gentleness and patience, as Ephesians 4 reminds us. Bear with your kids, make allowance for their faults, and look for the need behind their behavior. Give them some focused attention, and watch their behavior change.

PRAYER
Lord, you know how much I love my children. I want them to feel that love. Please give me the wisdom to communicate it the best way possible. Help me to have patience when they’re asking for something and to see it as a signal for what they really need.