6 Simple Ways To Make Each of Your Kids Feel Special Every Day

These are small but powerful ways to ensure all of your children feel like a VIP.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 4:04pm

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Parenthood is a balancing act, and ensuring each child feels loved and special is crucial for their development. This article outlines six simple yet impactful strategies parents can use to make their kids feel valued, including making eye contact, spending uninterrupted time together, asking caring questions, creating meaningful traditions, showing affection, and engaging with their interests.

Why it matters

Helping children feel loved and special as individuals can positively shape their identity, self-worth, and self-esteem. On the other hand, kids who don't feel that special connection with their parents may act out later in life by disobeying household rules or competing for their parents' attention in less positive ways.

The details

The article explains that the goal for parents is to convey unconditional love through focused attention, clear limits, and boundaries that allow children to tolerate inevitable breaks in their parents' attention. The six strategies outlined include making eye contact to show you're fully present, setting aside uninterrupted daily time together, asking caring questions to demonstrate investment in their lives, creating meaningful traditions, showing physical affection, and engaging with their hobbies and passions.

  • The article was published on March 27, 2026.

The players

Laura Kauffman

A licensed child psychologist in Menlo Park, California.

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What they’re saying

“These children are less likely to follow the rules of the household, and they are likely to vie for their parent's attention in less positive ways, including picking fights with siblings or acting out at school.”

— Laura Kauffman, Licensed child psychologist

“Our goal [as parents] is to convey unconditional love through focused attention with clear limits and boundaries that will allow them to tolerate the inevitable breaks in our attention.”

— Laura Kauffman, Licensed child psychologist

The takeaway

By implementing these simple yet powerful strategies, parents can ensure all of their children feel loved, valued, and special as individuals, which is crucial for their healthy development and sense of self-worth.