Hug Your Kids – Find a Way Even When it’s Difficult

Dad shares birthday cake and hugs with his kids

Tonight was my son’s 13th birthday. We adopted him when he was 4 1/2 years old, so it’s not a day for me to take any credit.

While I was buying him his first cell phone for his gift, somehow I bought myself an iPhone too.

My first email on my new iPhone? Some wisdom from my sweet husband:

If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way.
If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.

So true! People ask me how to hug a loved one that’s far away, or a prickly teen, or someone who doesn’t like to be touched. They tell me they’ve just given up. Then I hear wonderful stories, about care packages sent, favorite sandwiches left in work trucks, and other examples of “hugs.” Find a way to hug the ones you love.

Hug Your Kids – By Showing up at School Band Concerts

Ah, Band Concerts - Packed with Proud Parents

“The love in your heads and your hearts don’t really mean much.” People are shocked when I say this, but then they nod in agreement. It’s why hugs are so powerful – they are love put into action.

I went to my daughter’s school band concert last night in Reno, NV. The local 6th graders played along with the junior high kids and the senior high students. Wow! What was just as amazing was there wasn’t a spare square foot in the bleachers for all their moms and dads.

Showing up for band concerts is another way parents put their love into action. All those parents had dozens of tasks they could be doing, but instead they sat for 2 hours to hear their child blow, bang or strum for their 5 minutes of glory. Everyone left feeling loved. Yea band parents!

Hug Your Kids – Even Angry Teens Need Hugs

Even angry teens need a hug

Maybe especially angry teens. Actually, these girls were posing and cracked up right after I snapped this photo but it makes me laugh.

Parents of teens ask me all the time about hugging their teens. My answer, “Yes!” Of all the age groups, I think teens need hugs the most. They’re learning to drive, applying to college, starting to work, dating, and other stuff we don’t even know about. They need the physical reminders of  hugs that their moms and dads LOVE them and stand beside, behind and even in front of them.

Even though my 18-year old daughter is 6 feet tall, my husband and I like to give her a “sandwich hug” where we both hug her at the same time. It’s one part embarassment and one part comfort.

Got a teen? Hug them today!

Kids, Hug Your Dads – When They’re Away on Valentine’s Day

Dr. Marc Tinsley, of Monroeville, PA, and the hand-made valentines from his kids

 

 I was at an NSA speaker’s conference in Nashville on Valentine’s Day morning recently and sat next to Dr. Marc Tinsley. As we opened our folders to take notes of ideas from the opening speaker, I noticed the 2 hand-made valentines in his folder. His kids had hidden them in his suitcase and just told him where they were earlier that morning.

I’m always reminding parents to hug their kids. This is a great example of kids giving their dad a long-distance hug.

Hugs for all!