My daughter is a bit on the quiet side, and she usually has just one or two good friends at a time. I was talking to another mom about that, and she gave me ideas for getting my daughter to branch out. I thought they sounded pretty good. But later, when I was sharing those ideas with my sister, she said, “I don’t know. You don’t want to send a message that you think there’s something wrong with her. She needs to know that you think she’s great. After all, kids spend much of their time judging people, and she has to deal with that constantly.”
That’s when I started thinking that our kids really don’t need to be fixed. They don’t need to be turned into what we perceive to be perfect versions of them. They are who they are. Of course, we should help them grow, but we don’t want them to feel like something’s wrong with them. Author Fred A. Hartley put it beautifully: “Parenting begins with a big embrace for who my child is.” In the same way our words can be used to communicate dissatisfaction with our kids’ behaviors, they can also be used to say we accept them as they are. Here are 38 things accepting mothers say to their kids.
In the same way our words can be used to communicate dissatisfaction with our kids' behaviors, they can also be used to say we accept them as they are. Click To Tweet- “I love you for who you are right now, not just for who you will become.”
- “I love you for your individuality, not because you’re like me.”
- “I smile just watching you sleep.”
- “I accept you for one simple reason—you are you and nobody else.”
- “You are one of a kind, special, and significant.”
- “I would not trade you for anyone in the world.”
- “I don’t agree with you, but I’m happy to listen to what you have to say.”
- “No one is perfect. I don’t expect that from you and I hope you don’t expect that from me.”
- “I accept you as my child not because of what you do but simply because you are you.”
- “Every day, I notice something different about you that I love.”
- “I will love you if you pass or if you fail.”
- “I’m sorry for any times I’ve ever made you feel like you couldn’t be yourself.”
- “There is nothing you could ever do to make me love you more.”
- “There is nothing you could ever do to make me love you less.”
- “You are allowed to choose a different path than what I’ve imagined for you.”
- “If you keep being yourself, you’ll do great things.”
- “You are without question one of the best gifts God has ever given to me.”
- “Sometimes I can’t believe I get to be your mom.”
- “Just being with you, by your side, makes me feel rich.”
- “Tell me how you feel.”
- “I like the way God made you.”
- “What hobbies are you interested in?”
- “We have a lot in common, but you are your own person and I love that.”
- “You inspire me.”
- “I admire you.”
- “Being your mom makes me so grateful.”
- “You give me hope.”
- “There’s something special about you.”
- “It’s OK if you need to take time to make your decision.”
- “I love watching you become your own person.”
- “What do you want to do with your life?”
- “There is no one else who could ever take your place.”
- “Don’t let others set limits to what you can do.”
- “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here with you.”
- “Dare to be different.”
- “You can make your own choices.”
- “I will still be your mom no matter what.”
- “Even if your behavior disappoints me, I will always be proud to be your mom.”
And be sure to avoid these 15 Things Moms Should Never Say.
Which one of these do you say most often to your kids?
