Everyone likes to feel appreciated and loved. Those warm fuzzies are not only for young kids, but also tweens. Here are some great ways to love your kids.
Tweens may be at an age where they want to practice their independence, but deep down inside they still want to know that they are loved. There are some simple things that you can do to show appreciation for your tween. Listed below are 20 ways to love your kids every day of the year!
- Say "I Love You" at least three times a day.
- Take your tween on a special outing with just you, such as going to the movies, having dinner out together, or going skating. Kids feel very special when a parent takes time to spend time with them, especially if there are multiple children in the house.
- Make something with your child, such as a dessert, a bird house, or a CD of your tween's favorite songs.
- Give plenty of hugs (but not in front of peers, if it makes your child feel uncomfortable).
- Redecorate your tween's room to update his current favorite things, such as removing a toy chest and replacing it with a storage bench, or taking down the Toy Story items and putting up Pirates of the Caribbean items.
- Get involved in a service project together. Bake cookies for sick children in the hospital, take care of a sick neighbor's lawn, or make greeting cards for those you know who are sick or in the hospital. Helping someone else makes everyone feel good.
- Surprise your tween with a new deck of trading cards or a trip to an ice cream shop.
- Have a camp-out in your living room. Use a tent, make smores, and tell scary stories together.
- Teach them a new hobby, such as knitting, fishing, or doing puzzles. Do this activity together as often as you can.
- Offer a special reward if they bring home a straight "A" report card (or at least achieve an "A" in three or more classes).
- Compliment your tween's taste in clothing or hair style. They love to know that what they wear and how they look are "cool."
- Send your tween a surprise package in the mail. You can put something like candy, a card, and some other novelty prizes inside. Kids love to get mail at any age!
- Make up a secret handshake or words that only you and your tween knows what it means.
- Stick a special treat in your tween's lunch bag every so often. Do it consistently, but not daily. Make it where they are anxious to see if you did something that day.
- Listen when your child is telling you something. Give body language and signals to show that you are hearing what they say, and respond accordingly.
- Make a room in your home a gallery of your tween's artwork and school projects. It can be in a den or family office room. That way you will remember things your child has done, and they will feel proud to have their work displayed.
- Have your tween invite their friends over for a party for no reason. Let your tween make decisions about snacks to serve and activities to do during the party.
- Let your tween pick out a new pet and have a discussion about the responsibilities that come along with having a pet.
- Slip a note under your child's pillow while they are sleeping, so they will see it in the morning.
- Say "I Love You" three more times in a day!
The copyright of the article 20 Ways to Love Your Kids in Tween Communication is owned by Denise Oliveri. Permission to republish 20 Ways to Love Your Kids in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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