The bond between children and their parents is never-ending. This is especially so when it comes to mothers and fathers who give themselves selflessly. Parents’ love is unconditional and everlasting.
Parenting is rated as one of the most demanding jobs in the universe and often a thankless task. Parents work hard to provide for their growing children, who depend on them. Aside from food, shelter, and clothing, children also need to feel loved.
However, when they grow up and leave the nest, they tend to forget to thank their parents for the sacrifices they made for them. Children want to become independent and discover what they can do and achieve. It’s also the parents’ dream to watch their children spread their wings to fly.
Sadly, when children grow up and follow their paths, they spend lesser and lesser time with their parents. As a result, mom and dad end up feeling neglected and a little empty as their aging children continue with their busy lives.
So then, how can you demonstrate that you value your parents and make them feel special? Here is what experts say about it.
1. Spend Time with Them
Parents are left at home when their children finish their studies and go to work at times away from home. Some adults who live with their parents don’t spend enough time with them because of their tight schedules.
However, sitting back with your parents for some time and discussing details about their day can send messages to them that you love them. Sharing your exciting incidents and insights with them the same way you do with your friends will make them feel special. Indeed it makes them feel that you love them the same way they love you.
2. Respect Their Values
Because of the generational gap, you’re likely to have conflicting principles and values with your parents. As a result, you may start to feel yours are better while theirs are obsolete. However, respecting their principles and values will help you avoid hurting their feelings and show them that you truly love them.
Further, avoid insisting that your way is superior or better than theirs or bluntly telling them that their values are foolish or absurd. Demonstrating that you respect their values shows that you love them. Afterward, you can educate them politely, gently, and lovingly.
3. Avoid Arguing with Them
Your parents are not perfect, but they deserve your respect even so. After all, they gave you life. You will have conflicting ideas and opinions sometimes. In fact, you may even feel that your ideas are much better than theirs; however, this is not the time to engage in a heated argument with one or both of your parents.
While it’s good to share your opinion with him, you can do that calmly and respectfully. As mentioned above, you should respect their values and educate them politely. You can also keep quiet when you disagree with your parents and, better still, excuse yourself and take a walk in order to end the conversation.
4. Own Up to Your Mistakes
Mistakes are inevitable because nobody is perfect. But accepting your mistakes when your mom or dad points them out shows that you respect them. It will also help you to be a better person.
In fact, learning to accept mistakes improves your relationship with your colleagues, spouse, friends, and children. It makes you feel good afterward and strengthens relationships. Therefore, your parents will feel valued when you accept their counsel and turn out to be a good person as an adult.
5. Ask Them for Advice
Asking your parents for advice tells them two things; you count on them and value their opinion. You don’t have to handle everything that life throws at your simply because you’re an adult. Asking their opinion tells them that you continue to rely on their support, experience, wisdom, and comforting words.
Your mom and dad will welcome the opportunity to give you some advice. They will also feel honored when you ask their opinion. You can talk to them about day-to-day issues, major life decisions, raising your children, etc. That simple call is valuable to them more than most meaningful gifts you can give them because it makes them feel that their opinion counts and is needed.
6. Share your Good News with Them
Many things happen in your life, such as promotions, awards, a new job, a baby on the way, etc. Including your parents in your joys and celebrations makes them feel appreciated. Telling them that they will become a grandparent soon is such a beautiful surprise.
You will also feel nice when your parents shower you with praises because of giving them an opportunity to feel proud of you. After all, they gave birth to you, and they love you.
7. Plan a Special Outing
Planning a vacation for just your parents will make them feel truly wonderful. That is, if your budget allows. A vacation to a location they really wanted to visit but didn’t because they were busy raising you and your siblings will make their dream come true.
Alternatively, you can simply dedicate a day to them by making their favorite foods or engaging in activities they love as a surprise. Still, you can get both mom and dad involved in the process of planning their favorite meal or activities in order to get them excited.
Spending time on their agenda communicates to them that you really value them. Parents know that you live in a fast-paced world, have a demanding job, a family to take care of, and your social life. But the fact that you scheduled some face-to-face time to be with them makes them feel special.
The caution is don’t save this for just special occasions but instead create a special day for them outside any holiday.
8. Pamper Them
Hugging your parents and telling them that you love them can make them feel special instantly. After all, you also feel good when someone pampers you. Your parents, too, need to be loved and feel pampered. You can do that by simply asking them how their day was. They will appreciate that concern after a long and tiring day.
You can also surprise them by preparing their favorite meal, especially if you live nearby. Alternatively, you can make some arrangements to have the dinner, flowers, or gifts delivered to them if you live far away. Such gestures will make them feel extra special.
9. Make Peace with Them
As mentioned above, family relationships can get strained because no one is perfect. But people smoothen things over, make peace, and strengthen their relationships. You can eliminate grudges and tension that exist between you and them by initiating the process of forgiveness.
One way of doing that is by owning up to the mistakes you made when growing up, which for years, you have rejected. You can also forgive them for any mistakes they committed to you. This will help them to enjoy their golden years.
Giving them the gift of forgiveness will cause them to feel special. Your compassionate attitude is a priceless gift because it will strengthen your relationship and bring them closer. After all, they love you, and you love them also.
10. Give Them Gifts
Spending time with your parents shows them that you love them. You can also consider giving them gifts during their special occasion or at any time. You can make them hand-made cards, buy them clothes, a house, a car or pay for a vacation if your budget allows. You can also consider giving them customized gifts during their special occasion or at any time.
It’s important to realize that the size of the gift doesn’t matter to a parent. What counts is the intention behind that gift. That is why they love your gifts, both small and big. The little happy things in life show love but not the big ones.
Your parents, for instance, dedicated their lives to your wellbeing, filled your life with an abundance of love, and worked tirelessly to provide you with everything at the expense of their own dreams. Therefore try as much as you can to be the cause of their joy and pride. So giving them some gifts can make them happy.
Conclusion
How you treat your parents can make them feel loved, valued, or not. There are many ways of treating your parents. The article has highlighted 10 ways to make your mom and dad feel special. Tell them that you love them, take care of them as they did when you were young and make them feel, see and hear that they’re loved.
Which of these tips have you ever used on your own parents, and how did they respond? You can share your experience in the comment section of this post.
0 Comments