19 Things to Say to Children

Good morning beautiful people :) I hope you all enjoyed your day off yesterday! I used to love public holidays because it meant time off work, but now I love them because I usually get Mat home and he can tend to the kids and give me a bit of a break. I was feeling quite unwell yesterday so I went back to bed after breakfast and just took it easy by staying in my dressing gown for the entire day. It was awesome! The best part was that Mat had a great time playing with the kids and they built themselves a massive cubby-house out of sheets and the dining room table (naturally it had a carpenters touch with a patio area and main living area). It was really lovely seeing how much joy Mat's presence brought to the kids and it got me thinking about the huge lifelong impact we have on our children, just based on the way we talk with them and interact with them. So today I want to share with you "19 things to say to children". I  have come across this list on a few other blogs but I can't seem to find the original source, so unfortunately I can't give credit where credit is due here. In saying that, a big shout out to the original author of this article and it is definitely something that all parents need to read and act upon. Enjoy! 

19 Things to Say to Children 

1. I love you! There is nothing that will make me stop loving you. Nothing you could do or say or think will ever change that.
2. You are amazing! I look at you with wonder! Not just at what you can do, but who you are. There is no one like you. No one!
3. It’s all right to cry. People cry for all kinds of reasons: when they are hurt, sad, glad, or worried; when they are angry, afraid, or lonely. Big people cry too. I do.
4. You've made a mistake. That was wrong. People make mistakes. I do. Is it something we can fix? What can we do? It’s all over. You can start fresh. I know you are sorry. I forgive you.
5. You did the right thing. That was scary or hard. Even though it wasn't easy, you did it. I am proud of you; you should be too.
6. I’m sorry. Forgive me. I made a mistake.
7. You can change your mind. It’s good to decide, but it is also fine to change.
8. What a great idea! You were really thinking! How did you come up with that? Tell me more. Your mind is clever!
9. That was kind. You did something helpful and thoughtful for that person. That must make you feel good inside. Thank you!
10. I have a surprise for you. It’s not your birthday. It’s for no reason at all. Just a surprise, a little one, but a surprise.
11. I can wait. We have time. You don’t have to hurry this time.
12. What would you like to do? It’s your turn to pick. You have great ideas. It’s important to follow your special interests.
13. Tell me about it. I’d like to hear more. And then what happened? I’ll listen.
14. I’m right here. I won’t leave without saying good-bye. I am watching you. I am listening to you.
15. Please and Thank You. These are important words. If I forget to use them, will you remind me?
16. I missed you. I think about you when we are not together!
17. Just try. A little bit. One taste, one step. You might like it. Let’s see. I’ll help you if you need it. I think you can do it.
18. I’ll help you. I heard you call me, here I am. How can I help you? If we both work together, we can get this done. I know you can do it by yourself, but I’m glad to help since you asked.
19. What do you wish for? Even if it’s not yet time for birthday candles and we don’t have a wishbone, it’s still fun to hear about what you wish for, hope for, and dream about.