What Does Love Mean To A Child

@brendalee (6082)
United States
December 6, 2006 2:18am CST
I found this on my community forum and thought it would be a great thing for a discussion. Please take the time to read it all. You'll be glad you did. Touching words from the mouth of babes. What does Love mean? A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think: "When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." Rebecca- age 8 "When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4 "Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." Karl - age 5 "Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy - age 6 "Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri - age 4 "Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." Danny - age 7 "Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss" Emily - age 8 "Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." Bobby - age 7 (Wow!) "If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate," Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet) "Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." Noelle - age 7 "Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age 6 "During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." Cindy - age 8 "My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." Clare - age 6 "Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." Elaine-age 5 "Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." Chris - age 7 "Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." Mary Ann - age 4 "I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." Lauren - age 4 "When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (what an image) Karen - age 7 "Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross." Mark - age 6 "You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." Jessica - age 8 And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry"
4 people like this
8 responses
@Eiloin (327)
24 Mar 07
Oh, waw! we sure have to learn lots, lots of things for the children.
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
6 Dec 06
I have seen this one in an Email from some of the Yahoo groups I belong too, etc. quite a few times, but these are interesting to read are they not. Makes us Stop and think as adults sometimes what is really important.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
15 May 07
There is only one thing to say out of the mouths of babes
@anne_143god (5387)
• Philippines
6 Dec 06
What a very wonderful thought from a child. It is so funny the childs way of thinking but they are very lovely. I was really surprised on their answers.
@yanjiaren (9031)
21 May 07
This is so cute, It just goes to show how much we adults have, either forgotten through becoming cynics lol, or need to learn from Children. I believe that any one and every one is or teacher and from the good and bad experiences we can at least learn something. I still am baffled about the true meaning of love lol. Mind you I pine a lot for my husband and son, so that is a sign isn't it lol? I do have more positive feelings about love too, like wanting to do the impossible for all the people I love.
@brand4less (1061)
• Indonesia
23 May 07
ooohh...it's so sweet..too bad i read it just now! i can't pick which are the best,all the children said wonderful and funny words about love.love it!
@Carrie26 (1587)
• United States
30 Mar 07
Thank you for sharing that with us Brenda.I cried when I read it.It is so true to what children see as children to what love is.I think sometimes us adults should learn and be like a child.Because children forgive,and share,ect.
• Philippines
30 Mar 07
and now i do believe that children can see what is invisible within our naked eye..,