16 Ways to Fill Your Child’s Love Tank

Sometimes I find that in the business of life I look back over a day and realize that even though I had my kids with me all day, I wasn’t really connecting with them. Building a healthy attachment is one of the most important tasks in a child’s early years. Everything else in their lives will be a reflection of their attachment style. (Side note: Even though focusing on building a healthy attachment in those early years is vital, it doesn’t mean that attachment can’t be built or enhanced later! Stay tuned for a future post about building attachment with older children). Since building a healthy attachment is so important, here are 16 simple ways to fill your child’s love tank.

Here are sixteen simple ways you can build connection and attachment into your day with your child. Most are simple and take anywhere from two seconds to a few minutes each, but when you incorporate them on a daily basis, they make a big impact on your level of connection with your child!

One Quick Tip First…

Real quick before we dive in, I want to make sure you know about the Unhurried Planner that’s available to you for FREE! One important piece of filling your child’s love tank is slowing down enough to make intentional time for connection with them. Our lives tend to get so busy so fast that slowing down is easier said than done! I’ve created a planner to help busy moms like you plan their days intentionally so that they’re spending their time on what truly matters. Do you want in?

16 Ways to Fill Your Child’s Love Tank

Tell them you love them every day.
Hug them when they wake up and tell them you’re happy to see them.
Converse with them while you drive.
Cuddle with them and read a book.
Play a game with them.
Get on their level and make eye contact with them.
Do something fun together.
Laugh together.
Incorporate them into your activities. Let them help you cook. Workout together. Let them help with yard work.
Say “yes” to a request that you would normally say “no” to even if it’s inconvenient.
Bring them to the dollar store and let them pick out a toy “just because.”
Write them a card with 5 things you love about them.
Verbally acknowledge and celebrate things they do well throughout each day.
Listen to them when they talk.
Look for moments for physical contact throughout the day. Give High Fives, pat them on the back, scratch their back, tickle them, ruffle their hair, give squeeze hugs, hold their hand.
Ask them what their favorite part of the day was before they go to bed.