A few years ago we were having trouble with one of our children. She didn't listen, ever! She has since been diagnosed with ADHD. But, back then we were at our wits end trying to get her to get the simplest things done. I talked extensively with my mother about the problem. One day she sent me an idea from the Friend magazine. The idea had to do with making a special day for your kids that's not their birthday just to show them how much you loved them. I took the idea and ran with it.
That was the beginning of "We Love You Days". On each of our half-birthdays we celebrate a we-love-you-day. The magic of the we-love-you-day, is that it doesn't require any extra effort from me, and yet the child feels very loved that day. On a we-love-you-day we put up a big sign in the living room that simply says "We Love YOU". The honored child gets to pick their favorite meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (On their birthday they only get to pick dinner, so they really look forward to we-love-you-days.) We spend the day saying "we love you _____". We are reminded at every meal, and whenever we see the sign hanging up the living room. Then at dinner we all go around the table and everyone gets to tell something they love about the honored child. It's a wonderful love fest! Everyone has something good to say about the child. Even the child gets to say why they love themselves. That's it. It's simple, but so healthy and wonderful for the child.