On New Year’s Day we all just hung out. We didn’t go anywhere. Jack had a literal jammy day. He was in the same jammies he slept in New Year’s Eve. It was a perfect family day. It also brought on a moment where I really felt successful as a parent. It was later in the evening and we were all playing Legos together. We play Legos daily. We are a big Lego family. Jack got a people of the world set for Christmas. It has a bunch of different families.
He started playing with the mom and dad I had in the house I built with him. He put them together, their faces, and said “kiss” and then followed that up with “squeeeeeze!” That is what we call hugs around here. I was so struck by this! I was able to get him to do it more than once and I got a photo. I felt so proud of him.
We kiss and hug a lot. Jason and I kiss and hug a lot. And not a day goes by where I do not kiss Jack. I mean, over the top, always kissing and hugging him. You see, his cheeks are very chubby and therefore very squishy. Have you ever kissed squishy toddler cheeks? It is hard to stop once you start! I swear I could kiss them all day. We always squeeeeze and kiss goodnight before bed. When Jason and I hug and kiss, Jack gets very jealous. Tries to tear Jason off of me and then wants my attention. That doesn’t stop my husband from always kissing me though. I have even started to pick Jack up for a big family squeeeeze. He likes that too.
All of this culminated on New Year’s Day. Where Jack decided to reenact our family affection with his toys. It makes me so proud because he is affectionate and loving. As a parent, seeing your child behave that way is really just amazing. I felt a sense of accomplishment. I helped create this world view of his. Love is a wonderful thing, and even he sees it! He sees that his parents love one another. He sees that we love him and cover him in kisses and squeezes. He knows it is a good thing to live that way.
You can learn so much watching a child play. I got a glimpse into his emotions that day. I will never forget that moment. How I was beaming. How I felt, well at least I am doing something right! We often worry so much that we may be messing them up for life. You never know if the choice you are making is really the best choice. You try your best and then the rest will unfold how it unfolds. This moment for me felt solid. I feel like this is one thing that I know will have a great outcome. I will continue to love, hug, and kiss both of my boys every single day!
Have you had any of these parenting moments? Where you know you are doing something right…
Nicole M. VandeBoom 
That is so nice! I wanted to comment on the “messing your kids up for life” worry. It’s been said that you can apply the 80/20 rule to parenting. If 80% of the time you are loving and nice and nurturing, then the 20% that you need to discipline- kindly and firmly- is just fine. You can really make it 80/15/5. 80% loving, 15% disicpline (but nicely) and 5% “messing them up for life”- meaning yelling, screaming, threatening, losing it etc. , still think your kids will turn out way more than fine.
I definitely like this theory. I think I fall into the 80/15/5. I know he knows he is loved and that is the best thing I can do for him. At least he will know, no one is perfect we all “lose it” from time to time 😉
Awe that is too sweet! I love that you call hugs ‘squeezes’ ! Avery is getting into blowing kisses via Face Time to his Grammy… it’s too cute.
I love when little ones blow kisses! That is really cute that he does it on facetime! How old is he?
The squeeze thing started one day with my mom when she was leaving. We were trying to get him to give her a hug goodbye. She started hugging me and I said squeeze for some reason. It stuck with him, my husband, and me for some reason! I love when a small moment turns into a tradition.
Avery is 15 months…. such a fun age.
It really is! I keep saying that this 2nd year goes by way quicker than the 1st because they do so very much now. Every day is a new adventure.