I have fond memories of my Mom.  I had a wonderful childhood and my Mom was a big part of that.  She was warm and loving.  She hugged and kissed.  She talked and listened.  Turns out, she knew what she was doing.

I see the local Empire School is posting some educational material for parents on social media.  They're sharing what they call "simple ways to help the growth and development" of our children.

Studies have found our kids need a minimum of 8 touches a day to feel connected to a parent.  Simple pats on the shoulder and little hugs go a long way.

They've also found eye-to-eye conversation on a daily basis is important.

And, it has also been proven the most important 9 minutes of a child's day are the first 3 minutes after they wake up, the first 3 minutes when they get home from school and the 3 minutes before they go to bed.  The experts say those brief times are special moments when we need to make our children feel loved.