Kids Who Need the Most Love

"The kids who need the most love will ask for it in the most unloving of ways."

A Child's Self-Esteem

"Parents need to fill their child's bucket of self-esteem so high that the world can't poke enough holes to drain it dry." 

~Alvin Price 

{image source}

For When Words Fail

Remembering the victims of the tragic shooting in Connecticut today. 

Our Childrens Inner Voice

"The way we speak to our children becomes their inner voice" 

~Peggy O'Mara

Helping Your Children Turn Out Well

If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them, and half as much money.

~Abigail Van Buren

{source}

Listen to the Little Stuff

Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what. If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff. 

~Catherine M. Wallace~

© Catherine M. Wallace, 2001

** to read her essay "Seven Don'ts Every Parent Should Do," and excerpts from her books, see www.catherinemwallace.com
or you can purchase her Motherhood in the Balance or For Fidelity books by clicking the images below (you will be redirected to Barnes & Noble):

Cherish Children

Children will not remember you for the material things you provided, but for the feeling that you cherished them.

~Richard L. Evans

Your Most Precious Jewels

"The most precious jewels you’ll ever have around your neck are the arms of your children."

I Love You - Free 8x10 Printable

Here's a little freebie I whipped up for you all:) Click HERE for the free 8x10 download

I Love You 

by from a book by Maryann Cusimano Love

I am your parent, you are my child, 

I am your quiet place, you are my wild. 

I am your calm face, you are my giggle, 

I am your wait, you are my wiggle. 

I am your dinner, you are my chocolate cake, 

I am your bedtime, you are my wide awake. 

I am your lullably, you are my peek-a-boo, 

I am your goodnight kiss, you are my I love you.

The Miracle of Love

Before you were conceived,

We wanted you.

Before you were born,

We loved you.

Before you were here an hour,

We would die for you.

This is the miracle of love.

{Customizable printable available HERE}

What Children Need, FREE 5x7 Printable

“Children need sunlight. They need happiness. They need love and nurture. They need kindness and refreshment and affection.”  

~President Gordon B. Hinckley

A free printable for followers of this blog and facebook page, in 5x7 and four colors. Just click on the image you like to be redirected to the download page:)

As seen on:

Freebie Fridays - Tons of Printables

Here is this weeks findings:

Baby you don't want to be woken - put this on your front door when they're sleeping. Click HERE

"When I see your face, I remember my own, I feel home"
Click HERE

For the 2012 Mutual Theme

"Arise and Shine Forth". Click HERE

These would be really cute in a kids room or primary room:

"Try to show kindness in all that you do"

Click HERE

"I'm going there some day"

Click HERE

"So little children, let's you and I try to be like Him, try, try, try"

Click HERE

"Kindness begins with me"

Click HERE

"I hope they call me on a mission"

Click HERE

And lastly, spruce up your kitchen for free with these fun free printables in 8x10 or 11x14:

Click HERE:

 Click HERE:

Click HERE:

Love Her Mother, Elaine S. Dalton

"The greatest thing 

a father can do 

for his daughter 

is to love her mother."

This was from my another one of my favorite talks from General Conference, 'Love Her Mother' - not sure that's the official title, but that's what I'm calling it - by Elaine S. Dalton. As the mother of 1.75 girls (I have another girl coming next month) I made sure my husband gave his FULL ATTENTION to this talk, luckily he does a miraculous job at loving me already:). So to feed my latest obsession I whipped up a few printables of it for you......(if sharing please link back to this site, thanks;)

To download click HERE

To download click HERE

To download click HERE

To download click HERE

(I give credit to www.furrygraphics.com for the paper for this last image)

I Love These Eyes!

This is just a thought I want to write down. Recently I have played a little game with my 3-year old son, basically, I'll touch his eyes and say "I love these eyes", then touch his nose and say "I love this nose", then his cheeks, and say "I love these cheeks", and I carry on until I've covered all of him. He always has a big smile on his face when I do it to him. Anyway, after a couple of days on playing our little game, I caught him in the chair stroking his arms saying "I love these arms", then onto his tummy saying "I love this tummy", you can probably guess how happy that made me as a parent to see my little man loving the skin he's in. The last quote I posted on here was about instilling a strong identity in your children and I really believe that is so important, because if children know they're loved, it's so much easier for them to love themselves, and then it makes it a whole lot easier for them to love others, and the cycle continues.

Today would be a great day to show and express love to those you do, too often (speaking for me) I assume that love is known, but why leave doubt when you can leave your sure witness:).

Strong Identity

 

"Create meaningful family bonds that give your children an identity stronger than what they can find with their peer group or at school or anyplace else. This can be done through family traditions for birthdays, for holidays, for dinnertime, and for Sundays."
('What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest', M. Russell Ballard)

If I Had My Child To Raise Again

"If I had my child to raise over again

I'd build self-esteem first and the house later

I'd finger paint more and point the finger less

I would do less correcting and more connecting

I'd take my eyes off my watch and watch with my eyes

I would care to know less and know to care more

I'd take more hikes and fly more kites

I'd stop playing serious and seriously play

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars

I'd do more hugging and less tugging

I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often

I would be firm less often and affirm much more

I'd model less about the love of power

And more about the power of love."

-Diane Loomans-

(taken from here)

Maintaining a Strong Relationship with your Children

Give Daily Outpourings of Love

"Feeling acceptance and affection from parents is vital for a child’s sense of acceptance. Sadly, about one out of every four LDS teens reported that they felt their parents did not adequately demonstrate their love for them. While we cannot know exactly how often and in what manner their parents actually expressed affection, we do know that more than 25 percent felt it did not measure up to what they desired and needed. It is difficult for teenagers to feel a sense of worth if their parents do not express love, appreciation, and respect for them. Those young people who exhibit a healthy confidence not only have come to feel Heavenly Father’s love for them but also have experienced consistent expressions of love and support from their earthly parents. “My parents are very affectionate,” one young man reported. “They always hug me and tell me they love me. That means a lot!” In contrast, many of the teens who expressed self-contempt reported that they did not feel loved by their parents and rarely, if ever, heard the words “I love you.” One high school student stated: “My family isn’t a hugging, touchy-feely sort of family. We have problems expressing our love to each other. I can count on one hand the number of times I have been hugged by my parents. I wish we would show our love more openly.” Each of us needs to feel loved, respected, accepted, and appreciated. We all need to hear verbal expressions of that love. It is especially vital for adolescents who are being bombarded with feelings of self-doubt and insecurity. As one teen declared, “I don’t think the words ‘I love you’ can ever be overused.”

It is difficult for some parents to hug their children and express love, even though such expressions are as vital to the emotional and spiritual development of their children as sunshine, good soil, and adequate water are for the healthy growth of a plant. A parent’s reluctance to express love can be compounded sometimes by the way children react—especially if they aren’t accustomed to experiencing such affection. They may roll their eyes, groan, and pull away, but deep inside they feel a special security that comes with the knowledge that they are loved. Expressing love takes little time, costs nothing, and yet yields rich dividends—here and hereafter. A daily outpouring of love is not only vital for emotional well-being but also essential to spiritual development."
(Ensign, February 2006)

Big Mud Puddles & Sunny Yellow Dandelions

Big Mud Puddles and Sunny Yellow Dandelions

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard.

My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on.

When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money and I look away.

My kids see someone smiling at them and they smile back.

When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't have much rhythm so I sit self-consciously and listen.

My kids feel the beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don't know them, they make up their own.

When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk.

My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.

When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.

My kids say, "Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy."

When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets.

My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross, and worms to play with.

I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from?

Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

I wish you Big Mud Puddles and Sunny Yellow Dandelions!!!

Hugs and Kisses

A little girl comes up with a clever way to resolve an argument between her parents.

xoxo

Worth More Than a Billion Baubles

"You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question of how your children have turned out ... Do not trade your birthright as a mother for some bauble of passing value ... The baby you hold in your arms will grow quickly as the sunrise and the sunset of the rushing days."

- President Gordon B. Hinckley