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Original poster

how often do you tell your kids you love them?

116 replies

nightowl · 10/10/2004 05:12

idly wondering...for me its every day. did your parents say it often and does that affect how often you say it to your own? do you have any special little "sayings"?

OP posts:
suzywong · 10/10/2004 05:20

I say it constantly

and now ds1 is old enough to say it back unprompted and without meaning 'can you buy me a Thomas toy/give me some jelly beans'

and ds2 leans in close and offers his cheek when I ask for a kiss.

eidsvold · 10/10/2004 06:46

everyday and often... tell her I love her, she is gorgeous, best girl and so on... always get a pat and snuggle when I pick her up and usually get a kiss.

pixiefish · 10/10/2004 06:56

all the time. I tell her how much I love her, how special she is and now beautiful.

Tommy · 10/10/2004 07:25

All the time because I can only remember my Mum telling me once that she loved me (although she realises that no herself and tells her grandchildren that she loves them every time she sees them)

vict17 · 10/10/2004 07:25

Ds is too young to understand just yet but I think I tell him! My parents never said it, so I don't say it very often (even to dh - it's a really big deal to me) although my dad says 'love and kisses' at the end of a phonecall now

Titania · 10/10/2004 08:00

all the time.....especially last thing at night before bed.....I dread the thought of something happening to them or me in the night and them not knowing how much I love them.

I can't remember my mum ever saying she loved me when I was little.

DS1 is at that age where he thinks it's 'wussy' and I only ever get a quick (begrudgingly) kiss as he goes off into school.

DD is very affectionate and says it to me and DH all the time now, without wanting anything in return except a cuddle.

DS2 is too little but I still tell him all the time.

nikkim · 10/10/2004 08:05

all the time ad waht is lovely is that she says it to me most days. My Mum never said she loved me, stil hasn't and I have never sad it to her.

hmb · 10/10/2004 08:10

Every day, several times a day, with lots and lots of kisses and cuddles. Dh is the same.

Funny, my father, who loved me very much and who I adored , only ever said it to me once that I can remember, and that not long before he died. I don't think you an say it too often.

CleanKittyCat · 10/10/2004 08:19

dd tells me she loves me several times a day with lots of hugs and kisses. whereas ds (who is autistic) will suddenly come up to me give me a great big hug and say I love you mom. It means so much to hear it from him.

I don't remember my parents ever saying I love you or me saying it to them.

dd is often referred to as Little Miss Sunshine and ds as Rugrat.

gscrym · 10/10/2004 08:29

As often, everyday as I can. I also phone him to say it when I'm nightshift and he's going to bed. He just says 'stop it mum'. He's only 2 though. I also call him snugglebum and ratbag if he's been cheeky.
I love it when I've told him off and he comes over, puts his arms round my neck and says 'aawwwww'.

blossomhill · 10/10/2004 09:40

All the time. As many times a day, everyday. Always say it at bedtime too.

childmindersam · 10/10/2004 09:52

I tell my ds all the time and we have a ritual that we do. He is 4 and i say I LOVE YOU then i say how much do you love mummy HE says TOO MUCH and WITH ALL MY HEART and TO THE MOON AND BACK!!!!!! Bit sad but it melts my heart!

I cant remember my mum telling me she loved me that often, even now i find it hard to believe her when she says it!

dejags · 10/10/2004 10:02

many, many times a day, along with telling them how special they are and how clever, beautiful etc they are.

my mother never once in my entire life told me she loved me ...

musica · 10/10/2004 10:04

All the time - we are very huggy, and say I love you lots. Ds likes to list the people he loves (dh, me, dd), and dd will give me a kiss now (she's 14 months).

Skate · 10/10/2004 10:11

All the time along with 'you are so clever' or 'you are so gorgeous'. Always tell them I love them at night when putting them to bed, then when I go up to bed I go in again and kiss them and say 'I love you'.

DS2 and DS3 too young to say anything back as can't talk yet but DS1 will say it sometimes and quite often says 'I want a cuddle'.

DH and I say it to each other every day, at least once I'd say.

My mum and dad have said it to me I know, but I just can't remember specific times - we are a very cuddly family though and I always hug and kiss my Mum and Dad on greeting and saying bye and they always hug and kiss my ds's too. They have told me how proud of me they are too.

sobernow · 10/10/2004 10:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

jodee · 10/10/2004 11:33

LOL Sobernow at "other mummy"!.

Ds is told he is loved/a very special boy all the time, and I usually get "I love you all day long" from him at bedtime, followed by "I love you more than the highest mountain". Ahh.

It really hit me hard, reading those here who never heard those words as a child.

jampot · 10/10/2004 11:37

I tell my kids I love them every day and they tell me too . Like Sobernow's dd my ds also likes to quantify it by saying "i love you more than the biggest number" and "bigger than space" etc - don't hear the same exchange with my dh/children though and I quite often have to tell dh to tell them he loves them

TraceyP · 10/10/2004 11:57

The first time my mum told me she loved me was on my wedding day, the day before my 33rd birthday. She had never said it before, and has never said it since. She has never shown it in any way either, and I almost resented her for chosing my wedding day to tell me something that I really don't feel is true. I used to tell her I loved her every day when I was little but it was never reciprocated.

I tell my daughter over and over and over again that I love her and will always love her. She tells me that she loves me, too, over and over. She's another one that sometimes wants to quantify it by holding her arms out to show me how much.

I hope that I will always be able to tell her, at least once a day, that I love her.

KateandtheGirls · 10/10/2004 13:52

Isn't it interesting how many of us never heard our parents tell us they love us? Me too. My dad has said it several times in the last few years. I don't remember my mum ever saying it, although I know she does.

I tell my girls approximately ten thousand times a day, and they say it to me, often out of the blue. They also say it to each other.

noddy5 · 10/10/2004 13:59

My parents never said/say it but I do all the time

Chandra · 10/10/2004 14:08

QAll the time, we also hug each other a lot.

cuppy · 10/10/2004 14:28

Cant remember my parents telling me, but they always showed me.

Tell dd ALL the time, approx 20 times a day. Dh says i'm OTT. I just love her. Loads.

Caligula · 10/10/2004 14:55

All the time, especially if we've just had a row. I agree with whoever said you can't say it too often.

nutcracker · 10/10/2004 14:55

I can't remember my mom or dad saying it either, maybe they did and i don't remember.

I say it at least once a day usually at bed time.

Dd2 is always telling me she loves me and so i say it to her alot more than Dd1 and Ds.

The other night i said 'love you' to dd1 as i was settling her in bed and she said 'o.k'