1. 5 Love Languages of Children
Presented by: Melissa J. MacDonald

3. Love as the foundation
You may truly love your child but unless she/he feels it they will not feel loved.
Every child has an emotional tank, a place of emotional strength that can fuel them now and in the future.
By speaking your child’s own love language you can fill his “emotional tank” with love.

4. The 5 Love Languages Physical Touch Words of Affirmation Quality Time
Gifts
Acts of Service

5. Remember Every child has their own special way of perceiving love.
No child can receive too much appropriate unconditional love
Your children will sense how you feel about them by how you behave toward them.

6. Physical Touch

7. Physical Touch Physical touch is one of love’s strongest voices.
Studies have found that most parents only touch when necessary
All children need to be touched
A hug given before a child leaves for school could be the difference between emotional security and insecurity through the day.
p. 32

8. Physical Touch
Keep filling the love tank even if your child isn’t showing signs they need it
In pre-adolescent and adolescence you must keep touching
Be intentional about physical touch
p. 38 Father’s touching their daughters

9. Loving through physical touch
Snuggle while watching tv together
Hug and kiss your child every day before and after school and as you tuck them into bed.
Give high fives
Play games that require physical touch
p. 44 with more ideas. Let them brainstorm some ideas.

10. Words of Affirmation

11. Words of Affirmation
Words of affirmation goes beyond just saying “I love you”
If you use praise too frequently, your words will have little positive effect.
The word encourage literally means “to instill courage”
The greatest enemy of encouraging is is anger.
The volume of your voice matters greatly
p.50

12. Words of Affirmation
Be careful not to give the right message in the wrong manner.
ie. Yelling “stop screaming and yelling at your brother”
Your words are very important and help shape your child
Be intentional
“Parenting is not just a matter of doing what comes naturally”

13. Loving through words of affirmation
Put a note in your child’s lunch
Mention specific moments you’ve observed that highlight your child’s accomplishments
Create a special nickname for your child
Say, “I love you”
p.59 more ideas

14. Quality Time

15. Quality Time “He does things with me”
Quality time is focused, undivided attention.
Quality time is a parent’s gift of presence to a child.
You don’t necessarily have to go anywhere
Use eye contact

16. Quality Time
Quality time is not just doing things together, it’s a time for knowing your child better
Children never outgrow the need for quality conversations with parents and adults.

17. Loving through quality time
Stop what your doing when your child is telling you something important and make eye contact with them.
Ask specific questions about your child’s day
Take family walks and bike rides together.
Share meals as a family
p.74

18. Gifts

19. Gifts Other love languages must be given along with a gift
A true gift is not a payment for services rendered, it is an expression of love for the individual
If we do not present gifts as expressions of love, children may learn to receive them as “what is to be expected”

20. Gifts Be careful not to abuse gift-giving
Parents and grandparents may need to give less rather than more, carefully choosing gifts that will be meaningful.
Not all gifts must come from a store

21. Loving through gift giving
Make a meal you know your child likes.
Give your child a special song.
Create a “secret drawer” where your child can keep her small “treasures”- anything from a bird feather to a pack of gum.
Hide a small gift in your child’s lunch box.
p. 88

22. Acts of Service

23. Acts of Service
The day you found out you would have a child you enrolled into full-time service.
What would most please your children at the moment is likely not the best way to express your love.
As you express acts of service to your children you are setting a model.

24. Acts of Service
Loving service is an internally motivated desire to give one’s energy to others.
Do an attitude check every now and then to be sure that your acts of service are communicating love.

25. Loving through acts of service
help your children practice for their sports team
Begin teaching your child the importance of serving other through regular involvement together in a local community group or church ministry.
Create flash cards for your child’s upcoming test or quiz
p.105

26. Finding your child’s love language
It takes time
Kids are constantly growing and shifting
Children need all love languages to fill their love tank
Observe how your child expresses love
Listen to what your child requests most often

27. Finding your child’s love language
Notice what your child frequently complains about
Give your child a choice between two options
Be multi-lingual

30. 5 Love Languages of Children
Presented by: Melissa J. MacDonald