Saying I love You

This note has already been punched and filed, and I can't remember when my daughter (now 5) wrote this, must be  last year.

I say lots of I-love-you's to my kids. It feels good to say so, and to hear them say it back. My little girl imitates me and often calls out, "Mom!" I reply, "Yes?" She says, "I love you," just like that, to me, to her dad, to her yaya, to her lola's and occasionally (if they are in good terms) to her Kuya. She also writes lots of I-love-you notes with her drawings.

The other day I got cute replies: 

In the car, on the way home from school --

Me: I love you, Kuya.

Kuya: I love you, too. Thank you.

In bed, about to sleep --

Me: I love you, Gab.

Gab: I love you, Cess.

Me: :-) (chuckles)

Growing up, it was not commonplace in my family to say these three words of affection. We love each other but we just don’t say those words. It’s even easier to say them to others like to close friends than to my own mother or sister. I guess we were not raised to be expressive that way, verbally.

I want to change that and make saying I-love-you a casual thing. I think doing so helps tremendously to make children feel more secure knowing that they are wonderful persons, loved and cared about. And when they become young adults, somehow, the longing to be loved by another person may not push them into just any relationship. I hope they’d be more discriminating, take their time, and not rush themselves because they would not have a void to fill in their hearts. They’d know their family loves them unconditionally no matter what.

Drawn by Gab (undated)