We say so much to our children All. Day. Long.
Do this. Don’t touch that. We even say I love you, I’m proud of you, or great job.
But what about the words we miss?
The thoughts left in our minds—the syllables that never make it out of our mouths—the ideas our children never hear—what would happen if we said those words?
This is the power of The Unsaid Sentence.
The tiny, yet monumental sentence that changes their mind. Or their heart. Or the way they treat their sibling (at least for the next 34 seconds).
The Unsaid Sentence is a small collection of words that shows your child you see them. Differently maybe than they have seen themselves. It’s a sentence that changes perspective—sometimes yours, always theirs.
The Unsaid Sentence is the thing you want to say, but haven’t. Yet. This week, you get to. This week you are going to say it all. One sentence at a time.
Want an example? Here’s how it happened recently at our house. Cole was out mowing the lawn and found $30 that had been dropped on the ground.
He looked left, he looked right.
No one was around.
Not us. Not the construction guys rebuilding our deck.
Cole picked up the cash—because what teenager wouldn’t?
And brought it into the house. And left it on the kitchen counter. With a note: I believe these $30 were dropped by one of the workers.
And for a couple of days I heaped him with thank yous, and smothered him with atta-boys.
What didn’t I say?
I am not surprised.
For a couple of days I let the thank yous and atta-boys be enough. But they weren’t. They didn’t tell him all that I felt.
Time for The Unsaid Sentence.
“I am not at all surprised that you did this, because it speaks so clearly to who you are. You are the one who does the right thing when literally no one is looking.”
He smiled. He squirmed. He sat up ever-so-slightly-straighter. He heard me and he knew that I saw him. And he saw himself just a little bit differently. As just a little bit more.
This is the power of The Unsaid Sentence.
This week, what will you say? To your kids, your friends, to yourself?
Say it. And please, tell me know how it goes. You can send me an email, or join the conversation here.
Xoxo,
p.p.s. Want to make sure you are signed up for Summer of Love emails? Have friends you know will love Summer of Love? click right here to get all signed up. Love the Love.
p.p.s.s. worried you missed the last few weeks?
Here’s the choose-your-own adventure of week 1.
And the joy of week 2.
Should you read week 3? I think you should. 😉