Hold your baby often and give them little kisses and gestures of affection. Your baby will learn to associate this with love, and the more you do it, the more loved your baby will feel.

You might notice your baby smiling directly at you as early as 2 months after birth. [2] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source Respond positively to your baby; smile back at them, and talk to them when they make a sound.

This means your baby feels safe and loved around you. They’re happier when you’re around and more distressed in your absence.

Pay attention to your baby’s feelings and reactions around new people. If they get upset, do things you know will make your baby feel happier, like giving them their favorite stuffed animal. [5] X Trustworthy Source Zero to Three Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing resources to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a healthy start to life. Go to source

Baby-proof your home so your child can roam and celebrate when they reach a new milestone (taking their first step, learning to walk, and learning to run, for example).

Give your child plenty of hugs and kisses when they need comfort. Your toddler has learned to associate this with love and will probably start getting touchy-feely with you in return. [8] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source

Instead of getting angry, keep your cool and empathize with your child. [10] X Research source Make sure your child knows that they’re loved, even as you set boundaries on what is and is not acceptable behavior.

Examples of a child’s gift could be a drawing, a homemade craft, a toy, or a handpicked flower.

You can further build on your child’s self-esteem by praising their earnest efforts and helping them further develop their strengths—and, of course, to keep letting them know that they’re loved. [12] X Research source

Your child might not say “I love you” word-for-word every time, but there are other phrases that mean the same thing to them. For example, “I wanna marry you” is a pretty normal thing for a preschool-age child (around 3 or 4) to say to parents because, in their mind, it’s the same as a simple “I love you. ”