7 Powerful Ways to Show


Our children are our most important legacy to the world. However, our love is our most important legacy to our children.


Here are seven ways to show love that will help children build sturdy foundations for the future.


1. Spend Time with Your Children. Time is the most loving gift we can give to our children. It allows for the mutual exchange of ideas, emotions, actions, and words that help our children develop and learn to com- municate.


Enjoy a toddler’s tea parties as well as a teen’s ball games. Help your children build things and create art. Begin new family traditions that you can enjoy together each year. Ample time spent in mutually enjoyable activities will create memories you will always treasure.


2. Be the Primary Role Model for Your Children. Children need examples to fol- low. Teach practical values to your children by modeling those values. Admit when you have made a mistake and apologize. Model being committed to the ideals you em-


70 Dec/Jan 2011-2012


Children to By Steve Brunkhorst


brace. Demonstrate the advantage of integrity over peer pressure. We teach and influence children more through actions than words. We are our children’s first heroes; the ideals that we live today are the ideals that will influence our children throughout life.


3. Listen to Your Children. A child’s message is one of his or her most essential gifts. We build self- esteem in children when we show interest in what they have to say. Children need to communicate their pride of accomplishment as well as their needs.


Get down at eye level with very young children and listen with your eyes, ears, and heart. Listen most of all to the feelings conveyed through a child’s eyes and expressions. If you listen to your children deeply, they will grow up listening deeply to you.


4. Provide Your Children with Loving Discipline. Children need guidelines and safe boundaries without being con- strained unnecessarily. They need to learn the value of being accountable


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