How to Show Love to Others

CEBU, Philippines — Showing love to others may come naturally to some children but not for others. Just like anything else, showing love is something that may need to be learned or nurtured.

That will all depend on the experiences that children have in their life and the interactions they have had with caregivers etc. With parents, they hope and know that their children love them.  The kids may not often show it. Why? Well, maybe the parents are not that kind of person or maybe the kids have not been shown how to love others.

If parents are unsure if their child knows, they may have a ‘how do we show love to others?’ conversation. The parents may ask their kids, “How do you know when someone loves you?” and get them to list all the ways they can think of. The kids will probably say giving hugs, kisses or giving presents, but there are so many more ways than that.

Ways That Children Can show Love

Kids can show their family they love them by:

•             spending time with them

•             helping them with a chore

•             doing something for them that is kind and thoughtful

•             giving them hugs and kisses

•             making them something etc.

And they can show their friends they love them by:

•             playing with them

•             sharing with them

•             making them a gift

•             being thoughtful

•             listening to them

•             respecting them

The parents may ask the kids – or the kids may ask themselves – if they are already using some of these ways with their family and friends. If not, could they try them out to see how it goes?

Children need to know how it can make others feel when they show love. It makes others feel safe, warm, secure and happy – and the one showing love feel the same way, too! (www.thekidscoach.org.uk)  Naomi Richards