What Makes Them Feel Loved?

On our front sidewalk are some interesting prints in the snow.  Alongside bootprints and shoeprints in a variety of sizes are one set of prints of some fairly good size bare feet.  You can see the toes quite clearly.  They are a symbol of love to me.  I guess that requires a little explanation. 

I was getting ready to head to the church for an activity and was quite loaded down between supplies and the baby and the diaper bag.  Jacob offered to carry the baby to the car for me.  He had no shoes right there by the door, but, knowing that I was running behind, he just grabbed the car seat and ran out to the van and loaded David for me.  That was love.  He often shows his love for me by helping me in little ways like this.  Thanks son.

I have a book called "The Five Love Languages of Children" by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell.  In that book are outlined five ways that people show love, or like to receive love.  Different people seem to prefer different ways to give and receive love.  Some people feel loved when they hear encouraging words and verbal expressions of love.  Some people feel loved when they are given gifts.  Others feel loved when spending quality time with someone.  Some feel loved when they receive gifts.  Still, others enjoy physical expressions of love like hugs. 

This book has helped me better understand not only my children, but my husband, my parents, my extended family, and friends as well.  Sometimes how I want to be loved, is not how someone else shows love.  Sometimes the easiest way for me to show love is not what would make someone else feel the happiest. 

I feel loved when my husband and children do acts of service for me, no matter how small.  I tend to do the same to show my love for them.  But I have one child that loves gifts, another that craves hugs and sitting on my lap, others who need lots of time just to sit and talk one on one.  When I take the time to show love to my children and husband in the ways that they like best I see my relationships with them grow and deepen.  When I recognize the expressions of love given to me by them, in all their varieties, I feel more loved by them.  Children, and all people for that matter, behave better, work harder, and are more likely to reach their full potential when they feel loved.  The relationships we have with members of our family will extend into eternity.  We want to forge bonds of love that will extend into eternity as well.

President Thomas S. Monson said:

“What is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, ‘They do not love that do not show their love.’ We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us.” (Ensign, August 2011)