Children's Thoughts on Love

"I think you're supposed to get shot with an arrow or something, but the rest of it isn't supposed to be so painful."
... Manuel, age 8

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too."
...Greg, age 8

"No one is sure why it happens, but I heard it has something to do with
how you smell...that's why perfume and deodorant is so popular."
...Mae, age 9

"One way is to take the girl  out to eat. Make sure it's something she likes to eat. French fries usually works for me."
... Bart, age 9

"Don't do things like have smelly, green sneakers. You might get attention, but attention ain't the same thing as love."
... Alonzo, age 9 "

When a person gets kissed for the first time, they fall down and they don't get up for at least an hour."
... Wendy, age 8

"If you want to be loved by somebody who isn't
already in your family, it doesn't hurt to be beautiful."
... Anita, age 8

"I look at kissing like this: Kissing is fine if you like it,
but it's a free country and nobody should be forced to do it."
...Michael, age 8

"Don't say you love somebody and then change your mind ... Love isn't like picking what movie you want to watch."
... Natalie, age 9

"I'm not rushing into being in love. I'm finding fourth grade hard enough."
...Regina, age 10

What Does Love Mean?

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:


When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all even when his hands got arthritis, too. That's Love.

Rebecca - age 8

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.

Billy - age 4

Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.

Karl - age 5

Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French Fries without making them give you any of theirs.

Chrissy - age 6

Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.

Terri - age 4

Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.

Danny - age 7

Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss

Emily - age 8

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.

Bobby - age 7

If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.

Nikka - age 6

Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.

Noelle - age 7

Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.

Tommy - age 6

During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.

Cindy - age 8

My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.

Clare - age 6

Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.

Elaine-age 5

Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.

Chris - age 7

Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.

Mary Ann - age 4

I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.

Lauren - age 4

When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you

Karen - age 7

Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.

Mark - age 6

You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget

Jessica - age 8


And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. (Now this will melt your heart.) The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."