Happy Valentine’s Day! May your day be full of all kinds of love! Please know that you have a special place in my heart for being a blog reader. I’m incredibly lucky to have a job I love and to be able to say I am a writer and that is all thanks to you. I’m grateful for your support.
Handling your own romantic feelings can be tricky as an adult, but what about dealing with your children’s interest in others? That can give new meaning to the song “Love Is a Battlefield” in some instances. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
I loved getting Valentine’s Day advice for parents from the experts for the article “How to Handle Kids’ Romantic Feelings at Every Age” for Make It Better magazine. It covers what parents can and should do if your little one wants to marry your spouse, if he/she is chasing someone on the playground, how to approach the first big crush and the first big heartbreak, and even the unpleasant situation of walking in on your teenager’s make out session.
Of the little ones who want to marry mommy or daddy, therapist Ritamaria Laird of Individual & Family Connection says not to worry and that such feelings are very common. She suggests that parents remain calm, remember that kids can’t really distinguish between the different kinds of love and take heart because it is a sign that the child sees the parent as a safe, loving, and nurturing source. Way to go, parents!
And what about when those feelings shift to someone outside the family and your child falls hard for their first huge crush? Best to just roll with it, Mom and Dad. “Teens and tweens need to feel accepted by their parents when it comes to their emotions,” Laird says. “Never belittle their feelings, or assume what they feel is insignificant or less real due to their age.”
You can read advice from the experts on more scenarios here.
And here’s a thought that seems appropriate for Valentine’s Day:
You may also like: 7 Fun facts about Valentine’s Day
Prior post: Simple ideas for making your Valentine’s Day breakfast special
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