Mother and sleep consultant Chantal Cohen shares how a book made her stop and realise the important of touch in her family. Do you touch your children enough? An interesting read for us all…
I have just read a book and it – touched me deeply – pun intended. I have three little girls, run my own business and can, like many mums, find it hard to get everything I need to do jammed into my day. What can often go by the wayside is little cuddles and grabbing my girls in for a kiss, or even just a passing touch. I can find I am so focused on everything else, that even though I love my girls to bits, I am just so consumed by everything happening in life that deliberate touch is just one more thing I unintentionally don’t have time for.
Author Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell of the 5 love languages of children, explains that children (and adults) receive love through five main love languages, with a very important one being touch. Studies indicate that many parents only touch their children when it is necessary; dressing or undressing, putting in or out of the car or carrying to bed, and I am certainly accidentally guilty of that, as are many other parents I chatted with.
Parents can be unaware of how much their children need to be touched and how easily you can show your children unconditional love. When a child is filled up with unconditional love, their self worth and self esteem improve and everything else just seems to fall into place. We all seem to place such an important emphasis on material objects to show our children our love these days, when there are free and easy options looking us straight in the face!
Let’s get touchy!
Any sort of physical touch is valuable – even when busy a parent touches their child on the head, back or shoulder gently. Rough housing, rough play, kisses and hugs, reading a story with child on your lap; these are all ways we can show our child how important they are to us, even when we are super busy! I don’t know about you but I am now going to be more aware and take the time to smell the roses as they say, because in the blink of an eye children grow up and we all want them to remember that they were so loved.
Join me in my personal challenge:
Make time and make it a priority to touch your children today. Have a snuggle, tousle their hair or tickle them by surprise. A child that feels loved is a confident and happy child, such a simple action is an investment in your child today.
Do you consciously make an effort to touch your child? Are you accidentally guilty of being so busy that touch might have been forgotten?
