Single Parent Families - How to Make Your Children Feel Loved

When parents have separated, children may not feel as loved as they once did. Because the custodial parent is usually busier and the other parent is gone, it is particularly important as a single parent to make that extra effort to ensure that your children do feel as loved as they did before.

The following are some ways you can do this:

- being loving with them which may mean not taking your frustrations out on them, it is not their fault;
- respecting them and their opinions;
- ensuring that their environment is as calm and stress-free as possible, even when your world isn't;
- count your blessings together. Once you start counting, you may find there are many more than you thought there were;
- teach them the importance of being responsible;
- be a good role model for your children;
- have a positive attitude and show a happy face in their presence;
- be supportive to them at all times. Let them know they can depend on you;
- ensure their well-being by keeping them safe;
- provide them with their emotional needs;
- put 'I love you' notes or 'I'm thinking of you' notes in their lunch bag or knapsack;
- tell them often that you love them. Children can never hear this too often;
- read or sing to your child;
- praise them often;
- give them lots of hugs, kisses and good attention;
- give them encouragement when it's needed;
- snuggle together and watch a movie;
talk to and listen to them;
- spend as much time with them as possible;
- ensure that they have adequate sleep;
- do fun things together, i.e.: go to the water park, spend a day at the beach, go for a walk, have a picnic, take day trips, play tourist in your own city or get out and enjoy nature. There are many free things to do that children can enjoy;
- play a game together, i.e.: kick around a soccer ball, do board games, etc.;
- bake cookies together;
- make special dinners for your child so that he can feel important or take him for lunch;
- do a craft project together;
- learn something together, i.e.: sign language, play the piano or learn about birds or sea life, etc.;
- let them know how much you appreciate them and how much you enjoy their company.

It is particularly important for your child to feel loved when being a single parent is a new situation. When we have newly separated, our children should be primary in our concerns, not meeting another partner. Any time spent searching for someone new or getting to know another person takes time away from our children at a time when they need our attention the most.

It is also a good time to get to know your children and appreciate the special people they are.