The greatest gifts a mom can give her children are not tangible. These gifts are ever lasting, don’t need a warranty, and bring children great joy. Your children may not realize what they are receiving until later in life, but these gifts are the most important things you will give your children.

Unconditional Love means being able to love someone even when you are mad at them and loving someone despite his or her imperfections. It requires practice and conscious acts of giving and doing for others. Unconditional love builds a foundation of confidence, safety, and trust for your children.

Respect is the ability to acknowledge and accept a child’s individual personality, needs, and emotions. This includes listening to your child when he or she is speaking to you and understanding your child’s world from his point of view. Recognize that your child does not view the world nor experience emotions in the same manner that you do. Embrace your child for who she is and embrace her uniqueness in this world.

Positive Adult Relationships Your child deserves a model of relationships that teaches him how to love others, resolve conflicts in a healthy way, and thrive in a partnership. Whether you are single, married, divorced, or in a partnership – your child watches and learns as you interact with other adults.

Freedom. Children deserve the freedom to be who they are, to explore the world, and to make their own mistakes. As difficult as it is to watch sometimes, it is an essential gift from parent to child. Our role is to prepare our children for the hardships they may face in their lives, but we certainly cannot prevent them. Though their hopes and dreams may be different from the ones we imagined for them – it is important to give them the freedom to pursue.

Time is likely the most valuable gift you can give your child. Giving time is giving your Self to your child. There is probably nothing they crave more, nothing they need more. Especially in today’s fast-paced and schedule packed society, the time we devote to our children and to our family has a tremendous impact. The benefits include strong communication, deep family ties, and happy children.

It is important to teach our children about these intangible gifts that we bestow upon them every day. The best way to teach is by doing and modeling. With these gifts, our children can grow up creating healthy relationships, battling bumps along the way with resilience, and knowing the power of love and service to others.