Welcome back from Spring Break! I hope it was a good one for all of you! We decided to take a “fun, old fashioned, family road trip” to Phoenix, Arizona (try saying that really fast)! It was all rainbows and unicorns until the nasty flat tire that occurred in a place that AAA didn’t even know about in New Mexico…but we made some memories and we are alive and well to tell about it!
Anyway, prior to leaving for our trip, I was a bit frazzled as I was celebrating my daughter’s birthday and packing five people all at the same time. As I was pleading with my children for some help, I described my “love language” which is “acts of service.” I love hugs and spending time with my children but, people can best show me love by helping me out with things: unloading the dishwasher, putting away laundry, etc. I was surprised to see that my children really seemed to understand.
We went on to talk about what their love languages were. My oldest and youngest children’s are physical touch and my middle child’s love language is words of affirmation.
Have you ever heard of the concept? My husband and I took a class on it several years ago here at Aldersgate Church. It’s a rather simple concept to understand. Gary Chapman has written about it in his book, “The Five Love Languages” or he also has written “The Five Love Languages of Children.” Think about the ways that you most appreciate feeling loved: is it physical touch, words, quality time with others, gifts, or acts of service? For most moms, it is probably acts of service. Wanna guess what my husband’s is? I bet it’s the same as your husband’s! Physical touch, right?
And, when we understand someone’s love language, we are more likely able to help that person feel loved. Or, if we notice some misbehaviors from our children, we might decide that perhaps we need to show them more love with their love language… whatever that child’s may be! I know that my children seem much happier when I’ve filled them up with their love language! Below is a great table to help you decide on your child’s. Or you can go to the website and take a survey to discover your family’s languages. Click here.
And I especially appreciated that my children could better empathize with my feelings by understanding my love language. Your child may be a little young for that but it’s a great concept to begin talking about as a family. My youngest has carried it on to her relationships with others as she has asked me for help deciding on grandparent’s and aunt’s and uncle’s love languages.
We have the book in our parent library here at preschool should you be interested in reading more about it.
Aldersgate Preschool 
