"Don't give up on me today."

In a million little ways, our children ask this of us every day.

It's the look in their eyes when their guilty peepers meet ours post a mistake.

It's their fingers intertwined with ours when they unsuspectingly grab our hand when they feel unsure about something.

It's the sly smile they shoot our way as they ride the line of inappropriate behavior and potential risk.

It's the uttered phrase, "Can I sit in your lap?" or "Will you play with me?"

It's them sharing the many, long and semi-nonsensical stories of their days, as well as every single drawing that they make in a day.

Rarely will a child be direct in how they request of us to see them, support them, and love them.

And, in a million little ways, how we respond to these subtle calls from our children serve as our acknowledgment of their needs and our genuine and unconditional willingness to meet them.

As they get older, we then guide them to gratify themselves, while rallying for them and remaining indefinitely supportive.

I may not get my mothering right every day, and by that, I mean that I get things wrong all of the time.

Still, every morning, when I wake up, I kiss my kids and tell them that they are important.

And, every night, before bed, I love on them and remind them of their value.

This simple routine is a reminder to them that I didn't give up on them and that I never will.

And, god-willing, my children pick up on the million little ways each day in which I am silently begging of them:

"Don't give up on me today."