In this month of February; the month of Love as we put it, let’s take a step back to ask ourselves the true meaning of love and what it means to our children.
As LagosMums, we go through the hustle and bustle of everyday life in a society where very few people care about what happens to the next person. It is imperative that we try to figure out if we are instilling the right values and behaviors in our children or are we leaving them to grow up and continue the “I don’t care trend” that largely exists in our society today.
What does Love mean to Children?
A group of professionals posed this same question to 4 to 8 year-olds. The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. Find below some of the answers the children gave:
- “When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.” Rebecca – age 8
- “When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” Billy – age 4
- “Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri – age 4
- “If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.” Nikka – age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka’s on this planet)
- “Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.” Elaine – age 5
- “When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” (What an image!) Karen – age 7
- “I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.” (Now THIS is love!) Lauren – age 4
- “You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” Jessica – age 8
- The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbour was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.”
Also find below, what love means to some older children:
- “Love is like an avalanche where you have to run for your life.”– John, age 9
- “I think you’re supposed to get shot with an arrow or something, but the rest of it isn’t supposed to be so painful.” — Manuel, age 8
- “No one is sure why it happens, but I heard it has something to do with how you smell. That’s why perfume and deodorant are so popular.” — Mae, age 9
- “Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too.” — Greg, age 8
- “Once I’m done with kindergarten, I’m going to find me a wife.” — Tom, age 5
- “I’m in favour of love as long as it doesn’t happen when Dinosaurs is on television.” — Jill, age 6
- “My mother says to look for a man who is kind. That’s what I’ll do. I’ll find somebody who’s kinda tall and handsome.” — Carolyn, age 8
- “It gives me a headache to think about that stuff. I’m just a kid. I don’t need that kind of trouble.” — Kenny, age 7
- “One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot of bills.” — Ava, age 8
- “I’m not rushing into being in love. I’m finding fourth grade hard enough.” — Regina, age 10
- “Most men are brainless, so you might have to try more than once to find a live one.” — Angie, age 10
- “A man and a woman promise to go through sickness and illness and diseases together.” — Marlon, age 10
- “[Being] single is better . . . for the simple reason that I wouldn’t want to change no diapers. Of course, if I did get married, I’d figure something out. I’d just phone my mother and have her come over for some coffee and diaper-changing.” — Kirsten, age 10
- “Love is foolish…but I still might try it sometime.” — Floyd, age 9
- “Love will find you, even if you are trying to hide from it. I been trying to hide from it since I was five, but the girls keep finding me.” — Dave, age 8.
There is much more to life than material things and being a good parent doesn’t depend on giving your children everything they want. The most important thing you can do for your child is to love them, and teach them about love. If your children do not learn to love they will lose the ability to feel and show love, which is one of the most precious gifts that God has given us.
Many children as they grow up are afraid to tell their parents they love them, because their parents have never told them that they loved them. Seize the courage and say the words “I love you.” When you say “I love you” out loud and really mean it, it stirs up something deep within, that can change both you and the relationship forever. (Source: lornabyrne)
As a Lagos Mum, let us know; what Love means to your children and how you are teaching them to love…
Contributed by Veev
