What is love?

This week in class, our theme was the word love.

With Valentine’s day approaching and all the projects we were doing with hearts and glitter, I wanted to explore the word further.

There is such an opportunity when our children are little to encourage their minds to think outside the box—challenging them to find other uses and meanings for words. Love was our work this week.

When I asked what the word love meant, all the children agreed that it meant their moms and dads. I wondered what else they loved; They looked at me with blank stares.

We walked to the window, and I pointed to a tree and told them how much I loved the tree and what a happy feeling it gave me inside when the colors changed.

They all laughed that I loved a tree.

When showing children how to experience different emotions, being silly and simple can set up perfect examples.

Knowing that this emotion brings happiness and joy allows them to express it.

The love we feel like an adult, and our love as a child is different. Allowing our kids to be fearless of emotions helps them grow into loving adults.

Friendship for young children represents laughter and silliness. It gives protection and security. It can also mean the first time we fear the loss of love when a friend plays with someone else.

One of the kids in my class came to me crying that his friend did not love him anymore. He told me she was playing with someone else, making him sad. We talked about the feelings he was having. I thanked him for sharing his emotions. They all ran off to play together.

Emotions are such a beautiful thing.

Make sure they are shared every day!