As children get older, you can offer hugs, kisses, caresses, an arm over the shoulder, or a pat on the back. Sometimes the right words are hard to find, but a gentle hug says it all. Too often parents reserve one set of manners for adults and another for children. Parents may embarrass their children by scolding or criticizing them in front of others. Or they might get so involved in a conversation they forget their presence.
Children are no less sensitive than adults and deserve the same kind of respect.
Do not wait until they get good grades. Do not limit your praises to their good looks or manners. Let them know you enjoy them and think they are great all the time. When your child spills his milk for the third time in a row or hits his sister over the head with a toy shovel, it is easy to treat him as a criminal. Try, though, to see the child as someone who needs your help in controlling his body and emotions.