Love Languages for Kids and how they can help us in our parenting.
Love Languages for Kids
Love Languages for Kids
Have you ever thought about love languages for kids?
You may have done a lot of reading about love languages for adults but applying them to kids may not be something that you have yet considered
Discovering the love languages for kids that suit your kid is very important. Every child is different and every child’s needs will be different. Children and even adults show and receive love in various ways. One child may prefer “words of affirmation,” where another child may desire “physical touch.”
It is well worth spending a little bit of time considering which of the love languages your child is most drawn to. Knowing how to strengthen your bond with your child is everything.
Love Languages for Kids
What Are the 5 Love Languages for kids?
Acts of service:
When you have younger kids, you tend to do things for them that they cannot do for themselves. Once your child grows older, you begin to teach them how to do things without your assistance. If a child views acts of service as a love language, this transition may be a little tougher.
Therefore, figuring out how to lead your child into being independent while still knowing which acts to involve yourself with is important. Some examples are helping the child pick up their toys, always giving them a kiss before bed and tucking them in, etc.
Knowing your child and watching their response to an act of service will help you know if this is their love language and which types of acts are most important to them. A child with this love language may exhibit a servant’s heart and be a good helper. This is a pretty easy one to figure out – observation is key here.
Quality Time (maybe the most important of the Love Languages for Kids)
Children who strive with this love language enjoy undivided attention.
When they’re babies, we tend to play peek-a-book or roll on the floor together. Once they’re older, quality time will be playing catch, or bedtime stories. It’s not necessarily the activity they enjoy but the one-on-one time. This one can become tricky if you have multiple kids.
Be sure to try and make some designated time! Some examples of this love language include taking walks and chatting about life, drawing or playing with toys together, and allowing them to help with daily chores/errands.
It may seem like a faff to carve out such individual attention but for this child, it will absolutely be worth it.
My new book Create Your Own Calm for kids is available now
Gifts – Love Languages for Kids
Unfortunately with this love language, the lack of gifts can also make a child think there is a lack of love.
And of course as adults we absolutely know that this is not ever the case, The gifts don’t need to be expensive and don’t need to be given daily, but taking notice that your child prefers this reward over a hug is important on both sides!
Some examples of this love language would be, gifting a book that could be read at bedtime, getting their favourite picture or drawing framed, or buying a new shirt that reminds you of them.
It could even be gifting something homemade and meaningful it really does not have to be something that has cost you anything more than time and thought.
Physical Touch:
This love language hold tons of emotional support for childhood development. We practice this one a lot when they’re babies. Babies are usually showered with kisses and being held often. Your child may still enjoy physical touch once they’ve grown up.
Examples of this love language include snuggling and reading a book, lots of kisses and hugs, making up handshakes, or just a high-five. A child that holds this love language may be extra touchy and cuddly themselves. Try and meet this need even as your child grows to reassure and reaffirm to them how much you do actually love them.
Words of Affirmation (My favourite of the Love Languages for Kids)
Your words can focus on accomplishments, personality, appearance, or anything that affirms. Finding ways to encourage and compliment your child who thrives on praise, will benefit both of you.
Examples of this love language are, saying, “I love you” often, writing encouraging notes and leaving them around the home, or using encouraging words and sayings frequently. This will absolutely work wonders to a child who has words of affirmation as there key love language,
Love Languages for Kids and connections
The idea behind learning love languages for kids is to create a new way of connecting with them, on a deeper level.
This can help with childhood development and building self-worth. Every child will have a different love language, they may even have a few. I hope this list was helpful in finding what best suits your kid and their needs. And I hope you will give these ideas a really good go.
You may just find them transformative in your relationship with your child.
If you are struggling to identify which love language for kids means the most to your individual child you could always ask them ..and whilst you are at it why not share with them which love language is most important to you too.
Do you know what it is? read the list again and try and identify your own love language too and try and ensure that somewhere and somehow your own needs are also being met.
Further reading on love languages for kids
The book the 5 love languages of children might be another resource that can really help you put your knowledge of love languages for children into action.
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How writing a journal can help kids and ideas on how we can best encourage this
Final thoughts
I do hope you have found this post on love languages for kids to be useful – please drop us a comment and let us know how you get on putting it all into practice. Do you already use love languages for kids? if you do let me know how I love to hear your stories
You mihgt also like my post on How to get kids to talk about their feelings
