10 Simple Ways to Show Kids You Love Them Everyday! #MixInImagination

This post was sponsored by DOLE® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Life gets crazy!  In my house, I have three children running from school to sports, then finishing up homework, squeezing in time to run around with friends, and so much more sometimes in a single day.  There have been days that once dinner and baths were done, and my children were tucked in to bed, I collapsed on the couch in exhaustion with a bit of mommy guilt.

Some days it felt like we had been running none stop all day.  We were doing things they had begged to do but I still wasn’t sure if I had really connected with them in those little ways that make them grin and know they are what makes my heart beat.

I decided to start trying to do little things throughout the day that would make them sporadically feel special.  Here are 10 of my favorite simple ways to show my munchkins I love them though out the day.

10 Simple Ways to Show Your Kids You Love Them

1. Draw on the bathroom mirror.  My oldest is in middle school and often by the time I get up with the twins, he has already woken up and got ready.  He sees the bathroom mirror before he sees me, so I love sporadically grabbing a marker and drawing silly faces on the mirror to make him smile first thing in the morning.
2. Surprise them at school for lunch.  My tween has explicitly told me NOT to do this to him, but my elementary aged kids love it.  Every so often I will whip up some of their favorite foods, the kind that wouldn’t keep well in a lunch box, and surprise them in the cafeteria.  Their school also lets students sit outside to eat when parents come, adding to that “I’m special” feeling.
3. Leave something special in their pockets.  We lay out the kids outfits the night before school, so it is easy for me to sneak treats or pictures into there pockets.  One day I knew my oldest was stress about a big test, so I put a small picture of us in his pocket with a note saying “I was proud of him no matter what”.
4. Say yes when they are expecting a no.  You know, when they have already eaten half your kitchen and are asking for a second helping of dessert, expecting a no.  Or when they want to stay up late an watch a movie and you were already counting down the minutes till bedtime.  Every once in a while, say yes to the usually no’s.
5. Call them and chat.  If I have errands or work to do on the weekends or after school, the kids are home with dad.  When I am walking from place to place, I will often call and chat with each of them throughout the day. 
6. Listen to them read.  Now that my kids are older, they are usually off reading to themselves but sometimes I crawl into bed with them or snuggle up on the couch and tell them to read the story to me.  This gives us great one on one time, plus, it helps them master reading out loud.
7. Bake something yummy.  When I have some extra time in the day, I will surprise them with one of their favorite treats as an afternoon snack.
8. Build them up by bragging about them.  When I know, they are within ear shot, I will make sure to build up some of their accomplishments and brag about them on the phone to Grammy or to my husband.  With an “Anthony is doing amazing in school, I am so proud” or “Lilly has been being so kind at school, she has such a caring heart”.  
9. Put the phone away and get off the computer.  As a work at home mom, it is easy for me to sometimes loose sense of time and get caught up in the middle of writing or answering emails, and of course the social media wormhole.  I’ve started setting an alarm 10 minutes before the kids come in from school so that when they walk in the door, they see me, not me staring at a screen.
10. Pack their school lunch with Love Notes.  By the time the kids sit down in the cafeteria for lunch, half their day has passed.  They could be having a great day, they could also have gotten a bad grade on a test, got into a disagreement with a friend, forgot their locker combination, or just be having crumby day.  So, putting a little note of encouragement in their lunch could lift them up right when they need it.  DOLE Mixations® are now a signature in my kid’s lunch boxes.  Not only are they a delicious combination of smooth fruit sauce mixed with chunks of real fruit, they also have a customizable package that lets you draw fun designs and personal messages on the lids.  This makes sending an unexpected pick-me-up simple and yummy.

More about DOLE Mixations!

DOLE Mixations are available in 4 great flavors
Apple-Strawberry Sauce with Dices of Apple
Pineapple-Mango Sauce with Pineapple Pieces
Peach-Apple Sauce with Pineapple Pieces
Apple-Raspberry Sauce with Dices of Apple

My kids love all four flavors and I love that they are non-GMO*, contain no high fructose corn syrup, or artificial flavors, are gluten free and rich in Vitamin C!  Making them an ideal snack.

Plus, not only are DOLE Mixations a tasty and healthy snack option, they are also an easy and mess-free snack with no liquid to spill!

Are you ready to try DOLE Mixations and send a little encouragement in your child’s lunch box?  Now’s the time to try them with this great coupon!  Save $1.00 on any one (1) package of DOLE Mixations.

What little ways do you use to show your children you love them through out the day?

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*No genetically modified (or engineered) ingredients