If you have more than three children, you have probably heard it over and over (and thought of it a lot too): I need to make each child feel special.
We would agree with this concept. What we disagree with is how difficult we sometimes make it.
Sure, there are times for Daughter-Daddy Dances. (Kara was the proudest girl there because her daddy knew how to dance and had taken her to the ballroom for private lessons before the big day!)
There are times for “dinner and a movie” with Mom. There are times for day trips shopping or caving or hunting or crafting or, or, or.
But why wait for those “big days”? Why create this “it has to be big to make my child feel special” idea in your mind.
Sure…plan, do, run, have fun. But don’t neglect the daily ways that you can make your child feel special.
I will be sharing a few of those “regular” things in upcoming posts, starting with this one: Talking to your child alone is one of the best ways to make that child feel special.
When you carve out time (daily with any child, whenever possible!) to talk with one child alone, it builds a confidence in your child that you are always going to be there for them. It makes him feel more special to know that you will stop, stay home, be with him, talk, and nurture his heart in an ongoing manner than any big event. (But don’t skip those either!)
One way to do this with your littles is to sneak into his room after everybody’s in bed and take a snack and have an “everybody’s in bed talk.” (Snack optional!)
If he isn’t asleep yet, either slide in beside him and just talk…..ask questions. (Be sure they are open-ended ones; not yes and no ones!) Let him go on and on and on and on about something that is important to him.
Or if your child shares a bedroom, pull one out and take her into another room: “I thought since it was quiet around here, we could finally talk alone!”
Oh, and don’t forget mornings…these are also good “everybody’s asleep” talk times!
These “everybody’s asleep talks” will be something that your kids will remember forever. And nighttime is one of the best times to get a good peek into your child’s heart.
