MOMMY, HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE ME?

IS A QUESTION MY CHILDREN ASK ME DAILY. AS CHILDREN, THEY OFTEN NEED REASSURANCE THAT THEY ARE LOVED AND WANTED. I TRY MY HARDEST TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE WANTED, THAT THEY WERE ALWAYS WANTED FROM THEIR MOM AND DAD. I SHOW THE EVERYDAY HOW MUCH I LOVE THEM. IT CAN BE ANYTHING FROM A "PRIZE" THEY WANTED, AND IT WAS WELL DESERVED. IF THEY SHOWED AN ACT OF KINDNESS TO SOMEONE, LIKE CAIDEN HOLDING THE DOOR FOR AN OLD LADY, I WOULD REWARD HIM. BAILEE SOMETIMES LETS CAIDEN WATCH HIS FAVORITE TV SHOW, AND HER ACT OF KINDNESS WOULD NOT GO UNNOTICED. BUT, AS A MOTHER, I TRY TO GET TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER. IT IS THE EXAMPLE I SET THAT LETS THEN KNOW HOW TRULY THEY LOVED. I TELL THEM ABOUT A HUNDRED TIMES A DAY THAT I LOVE THEM. BUT SAYING IT SOMETIMES IS NOT ENOUGH. SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH THEM IS WHAT IS ALL ABOUT. IT IS ABOUT LETTING THEM BE THEIR TRUE SELF, AND KNOWING THAT MOMMY WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO SUPPORT THEM IN THEIR JOURNEY OF SELF-DISCOVERY.IT IS ABOUT OUR CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE, WHEN THEY HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT ANY SITUATION THAT LIES HEAVY ON THEIR HEART. I LET THEM KNOW THAT I AM THERE FOR THEM, THAT THEY CAN TALK TO ME ABOUT ANYTHING, AND MY LOVE FOR THEM WOULD NEVER DIMINISH, BUT WOULD EVER GROW SO STRONGLY. BAILEE ASKED ME A QUESTION SOME TIME AGO AND I WILL NEVER FORGET IT. IT CHANGED HER OUTLOOK ON A PARENTS LOVE FOR THEIR CHILD. SHE ASKED ME THIS: "MOMMY, WOULD YOU STILL LOVE ME IF A REALLY HURT SOMEONE BAD?" THE LOOK IN HER EYES WAS THAT OF A CHILD WHO NEEDED REASSURANCE. I TOLD HER THIS:" BAILEE, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, MY LOVE FOR YOU IS UNCONDITIONAL." SHE ASKED ME WHAT THAT MEANT AND I TOLD HER THAT NO MATTER WHAT SHE DOES, I WOULD LOVE HER ALWAYS. THE LOOK ON HER FACE WAS ONE OF CONTENTMENT, AND SHE KNEW IN THAT MOMENT THAT MOMMY'S LOVE FOR HER WAS FOR ETERNITY. MY AUNT GAVE CAIDEN A BOOK FOR HIM ON HIS 1ST CHRISTMAS. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE READ THIS BOOK TO THEM. SOMETIMES A GOOD BOOK IS A GREAT WAY TO REALLY TELL THEM AND SHOW THEM THE WAY YOU REALLY FEEL. THEY CAN SEE "HANDS ON" AND THEY CAN LET THEIR HEART AND IMAGINATION TAKE THEM ANYWHERE THEY WANT TO GO! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO READ AT BEDTIME. FOR THE LOOK ON THEIR FACE IS PRICELESS , AND THEY CAN REST ASSURE THEY AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY ARE WANTED AND TRULY LOVED!! THE NAME OF THE BOOK IS "LOVE YOU FOREVER" THE AUTHOR IS ROBERT MUNSCH. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!