10 Things Kids need to hear
My oldest is now 6 and through trial and error I'm learning my way. Against popular belief you wont find everything you need from a book... Trust me I bought LOTS of them! lol
One of the things I learned was kids need to hear things. Whether it be positive reinforcement or just us telling them the simple facts of life.
1. Number one is of course I love you! No matter how tough life gets I think its always important for our kids to understand they have our unconditional love. Make it a habit to say it every night before bed. Even when they are older and no longer say it back. Trust me they still hear you say it.
2. Its okay to make mistakes. This one is important with my oldest. He gets so upset when he gets a bad mark on his paper at school or at home when he spills something. Calming him down is always as simple as saying its okay buddy things happen. I normally tell him a silly story about a mistake I made, to let him realize EVERYONE does it!
3. Not everyone will want to be your friend. Its a hard truth to hear, but I hate when my kids don't understand why certain people won't let them play or wont share with them. Some times kids will think its a flaw with in themselves. So I make sure to let them know its not. That they are perfect the way they are and they don't have to change to make others like them.
4. I'm proud of you! 4 simple words can mean the world to a child. My son jumps off his bus in the afternoon with a good paper in hand to show me the second he reaches me. And each time I can see he is waiting for the words "I'm proud of you." Each time he gets a huge smile and I can see pride in his eyes. My youngest doesn't understand what "proud" means yet. So for him I always say "WOW buddy your such a big boy!" That is his form of proud and like my oldest I can see how much the words mean to him.
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5. Keep trying. Too often people not just kids, but adults give-up. Its important to teach kids to keep trying. Last year Brandon played flag football and he hated it. After a few practices he wanted to quit because he wasn't doing good. I wouldn't let him, I made him work through and by the end of the season he LOVED flag football! Sometimes its hard to see past failures and we don't always realize that if we try and try again we may eventually get it.
6. Your perfect the way you are. This kinda goes with the "not everyone will like you," but in a way its also stands alone. My son is short. He is shorter then all the girls and guys in his class. Some days he gets upset over it and I have to remind him that he is perfect the way he is.
7. Ask for help. Sometimes kids get it in their head they need to do it all alone. More so older kids I have a teenage sister and some days she thinks she can conquer the world by herself. Other times I can see her struggle and I can tell its through pure pride she wont ask for any help. And even though I know I'm going to get her attitude I reach out and tell her if she needs help just ask for it. The funny thing is sometimes she will. She words it in a way like she is doing me some great favor by letting me assist her lol, but the point is that she asked.
8. Thank you. I know simple right?? Kids need to feeling appreciated. I know they may have messed up their own toys and yes it is their responsibility to clean it up, but a simple thank you after wards makes them feel useful. And normally when I say thank you to my oldest he asks "is there anything else you need help with mom?"
9. You can be anything you want to be. And parents lets be honest, we know its not true. Just today Quinn told me he wanted to be a monkey and Brandon Jr told me he wants to be George Washington lol. As they get older though they will have a goal and its important that we support them. That they know we are here to help them achieve it and that we will always believe they can do it. They will have an entire world telling them they can't, that its impossible... Lets not be another negative lets be that little voice in the back of their head saying YOU CAN BE ANYTHING, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING!
No matter how big or small their goal may be its important to them. So it is important to us too.
10. You are important. Everyone wants to feel valued, its a human trait that none of us are immune too. Kids included. I'm not saying that every day come out and say the words "you are important." It can be be as simple as when your little one helps you saying something like "I wouldn't have been able to do that without you." Or my oldest likes hearing that Quinn is lucky to have such a good big brother.
Words that is all these are. But words have a huge impact. I love my boys and by words and actions they know that. It doesn't matter if they are 1 or 40 your kids need to hear these things from you.
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