Unconditional love.
It is so cliché but are we making it part of our family’s daily life?

Unconditional love: to react with compassion and understanding, always giving grace.

2020 provided us all a lens to really evaluate our life at home. (Probably the only good thing 2020 gave us!) What I realized is that yes, I could probably incorporate some conscious unconditional love into my parenting, and my marriage too if I’m honest (but that’s a whole other topic).

So, I made it a point to make sure that my kids knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that I loved them, regardless of how they behaved.

Of course, the kids know I love them. They can attest I tell them countless times throughout the day.

But words spoken over and over tend to lose their power and meaning.

Why I Wrote I Love You When

(Link for purchase on Amazon here!)

I recall one night I was putting my little one down for bed (she was 3 at the time). We came up with a fun game, when I asked her, “Does Mommy love you when you’re happy? Does Mommy love you when you’re silly?” Of course, immediately, her answers were, “Yes”.

But then, I asked her if Mommy loves her even when she was naughty. The look of confusion on her face made my heart sink. She honestly had to consider if I loved her when she was making poor decisions! How tragic that she had to even consider this fact. So, this became the focus of each bedtime: to teach her that no matter how she acted, I loved her just the same.

It’s understandable, how those little brains could believe that they are only loved when Mommy is happy with them. Heck, I feel as adults, we do the same thing with our relationships. We tend to feel good when our interactions are positive. But, think about how much these kids are disciplined, told to do things differently, scolded, and so on. They see, hear, and feel our frustrations and likely interpret this as: happy=loved, unhappy=not loved.

That is why I wrote this book: to let each and every child know that they are truly loved despite the circumstance.

No matter what they do, what they say, or how they act can change the fact that their parents love them unconditionally.

I would love if you would read this story to your child and chat about all the times when you really do love them! It provides a perfect opportunity to discuss what unconditional love means. Because every child needs to hear and believe that they are cherished just as they are.

Link for purchase on Amazon here!

Please, I would love if you could provide a review of the book on Amazon, as it makes it easier for other parents to find this book and let their children know their worth. Thank you so much!