Parenting on Purpose

I smiled nervously at my 7-year-old son and held my breath, waiting for the answer to my question. The wait was always unnerving; especially since I never had a clue as to what answer he would give. “How can I be a better Daddy?” I had ventured. The little boy looked earnestly at me, and replied in a soft gentle voice, “You could play more games with me.” “Anything else? Is there any other thing I could do to be a better Daddy?” “No, that’s all.” I breathed a sigh of relief. I had gotten off easy this time. I had learnt this approach some years back. The question “How can I be a better Daddy?” provides an insight into how we can affirm our children in a love language they understand. This principle is derived from Gary Chapman’s book,  The 5 Love Languages of Children . Chapman describes the five love languages that we use to communicate, namely Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Gift Giving, Acts of Service and Physical Touch. Speaking My Child’s Love Language ...