Want to physically bless your kids this week?
Touch with our kids should be regular, intentional, and enjoyable.
Meaningful touch from a parent can be a language all its own that speaks something beyond words to reach your child’s heart, not just their head.
And specifically for the men reading—just because we’re dads doesn’t mean we have to be distant physically. Quite the opposite needs to be true.
Not only do kids need physical affection and attention from mom and dad; they want it.
So here are 10 easy ways to bless your kids with physical affection this week.
1. A daily hug. Most kids need to be hugged every day. It’s one of the simplest forms of physical affection that speaks love. (Here’s why I believe every parent should be a hugger.) When our kids were young, our family made hugging before bed an evening routine.
2. A long felt hug. Sometimes teenagers aren’t so eager for those hugs, but even as they age, grabbing their sometimes limp body for a long, tight squeeze without letting go can mean more than words.
3. A spontaneous tickle. Tickles are like memory magic. Every child loves the memories of being “tickled to death” by those they love. Or at least I know I did.
4. A physical bedtime routine. For one of our kids, a physical bedtime routine was a BIG deal, whether it was the piggy toes, the tickle claw, or being thrown onto the bed. With all of our kids, a hug and physically tucking them in was a must.
5. A wrestle to the floor. If you’ve got boys (and even girls), a good wrestling match on the living room floor might be just the dose of love they need every now and then.
6. A prayerful hand on their shoulder. Prayer with our kids is powerful. And prayer combined with intentional touch leaves even more of an impact.
7. A congratulatory high-five. No one should be more excited about your kids’ achievements than you. And a physical congratulations is always a great way to show it.
8. A kiss on the forehead. There’s something special and gentle about kissing your child on the forehead that speaks what words sometimes cannot. While this can be especially meaningful to daughters, it can also (at the right times) be important to our sons.
9. An arm around their shoulder. Putting your hand on the back of their neck or an arm around their shoulder while sitting or standing next to them can speak your presence, security, and love.
10. A rustling of their hair. We all know that crazy uncle who would rub your head every time he saw you, almost as if to say, “Love ya, little squirt.” And every time, you’d feel the love. Even a parent just patting their child on the head in passing can be a simple yet meaningful expression of love that says, “I see you. I love you.”
All of these things are meaningful because they are ways to say “I love you” without words.
Which of these could you add to your physical affection toolbox this week with your kids?
