31 Ways To Tell Your Child "I Love You"

I came across a list today by Terri Mauro, a contributor to About.com with 31 ways to tell your child you love them other than by just saying the words. The words "I Love You" are spoken often at our house. Hailey says she loves us, "To infinity and back" which then turns into "To infinity, infinity and back", and this goes on and on (you get the picture). We believe that our bond remains strong in our family not because we speak these three words but because we try to show how we feel.

We aren't sure if our special needs children understand when they hear "I Love You" so in this case, the action speaks much louder than the words.

• 1. Spend a little time each day playing entirely at your child's direction.
• 2. Cuddle up under a blanket and watch what he or she wants to watch on TV.
• 3. Give a chocolate kiss along with a real one.
• 4. Exchange butterfly kisses or nose-to-nose Eskimo kisses.
• 5. Find something about your child's appearance to compliment.
• 6. Find something about your child's music to compliment.
• 7. Do one of your child's chores for him or her.
• 8. Run fingers through hair.
• 9. Make your child into a burrito.
• 10. Read books about family love, like I Love You, Good Night, On Mother's Lap, Guess How Much I Love You, or If You Were My Bunny.
• 11. Send an encouraging note with your child's lunch.
• 12. Pick out candy conversation hearts with appropriate messages and present them to your child.
• 13. Cook something together.
• 14. Talk in the car on the way to school instead of listening to the radio.
• 15. Give a foot massage.
• 16. Take a long walk together, at your child's pace.
• 17. Read the funny pages together.
• 18. Find a video game you can play together, like "Wheel of Fortune".
• 19. Do a jigsaw puzzle together.
• 20. Use magnetic letters to put loving messages on the fridge.
• 21. Make customized word games with loving messages.
• 22. Take pictures of facial expressions showing different emotions, and tape the one of you showing "love" over your child's bed.
• 23. Send your child a card in the mail, with stickers or a treat inside.
• 24. Stick an encouraging note on your child's mirror as she sleeps.
• 25. Set aside a little time each day, maybe before bedtime, to talk about what's going on in your child's life, judgment free. If your child doesn't like to talk, say "Tell me three things that happened today." If it helps, tell three things that happened to you in return.
• 26. Find a board game you both enjoy and schedule regular tournaments.
• 27. If you use a point system for rewards, give bonus points just for being a great kid.
• 28. Develop a secret word or gesture that only the two of you know the meaning of.
• 29. Kids who don't like to be hugged may be okay with sitting on your lap and being held from behind, particularly if they're watching TV or reading.
• 30. Take your child out to lunch every now and then, just the two of you.
• 31. Play hide and seek with your child, and while you're searching talk very loudly about how sad you will be if you can't find him or her. Then be very happy when you're reunited.