By Steve Brunkhorst http://www.AchieveEzine.comOur children are our most important legacy to
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
future.
1. Spend Time with Your Children.
Time is
most loving gift we can give to our children. It allows for
mutual exchange of ideas, emotions, actions, and words that help our children develop and learn to communicate.
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
Primary Role Model for Your Children.
Children need examples to follow. Teach practical values to your children by modeling those values. Admit when you have made a mistake and apologize. Model being committed to
ideals you embrace. Demonstrate
advantage of integrity over peer pressure.
We teach and influence children more through actions than words. We are our children's first heroes;
ideals that we live today are
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
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 constrained unnecessarily. They need to learn
value of being accountable for their choices and actions.
Let your children know that you disapprove of hurtful actions but will always love them as sons and daughters. Loving discipline enables them to recognize
best in other people. It allows children
freedom to explore
world safely and reach their highest potential.