There was talk in the press last week that it is, on average, seven weeks into a relationship before one party utters those three all important words.
I was quite shocked at that. I thought it would be much sooner. We seem to love everything these days (well I certainly do!).
But are they really important to say?
Do you need to hear “I love you” from your partner on a daily basis or is it better that you just know?
I genuinely couldn’t tell you the last time I told Mr B that I loved him. But I am fairly certain he knows that I do. And vice versa.
Children are different, I think they need to hear it. And my three hear it all the time, bedtime, on the end of texts, as they go out the door to work or as I drop them off at school. It is generally the last thing I tell them. That or that I am proud of them.
But I don’t say it to Mr B. I think about him when I am out and buy things for him that I think he might like or need. I try and do things that mean he doesn’t have to. take him a cup of tea / do things so he doesn’t have to. I show him that I love him. And again, vice versa. He might turn up with a bunch of flowers, call me just to see how I am in the middle of the day or book a surprise dinner.
All those things mean so much more to me that just hearing him say those three words, possibly because he feels he has to, or should or as some kind of “well I always end a phone call with, I don’t really think about it”
But what do you think? Do you need to hear it?
Jason and I say it to each other all the time. I say it to my kids all the time, they say it back too, but the eldest, not so much.
I think it is important to say it, but it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t back it up with actions. No point saying to someone that you love them, if then you do something mean to them, or hurt their feelings.
We’ve been married for forty two years(tomorrow), and we still say it to,each other several times a day.
Funny, I was shocked by my elderly aunt the other day, when she said she found it very ‘odd’ that the ‘kids (my niece and friends, aged 18 ish) all hugged each other when they met. Maybe it’s a generational change?
I tell my children all the time and Teen is now coming back to me and telling me she loves me also, Little Man well he’s different my post on Sunday explains why but when he does say it, it melts my heart.
Hubby I don’t say it all the time but like you we know we do and don’t have to say it all the time, although at the end of texts and calls we say it xxx
p.s email didn’t do the trick…this was hidden from me again, grrrrr!!
I think it says quite a lot about a person’s self confidence whether they need to hear that they are loved. I tell my husband of 32 yrs everyday at least once, I like to tell him, he doesn’t need to hear it though, he says he knows anyway. He almost never tells me that he loves me, unless I ask him. I know he does, of course, but I’d still like to hear it sometimes without having to prompt him.
I’ve been with my boyfriend now around two years and honestly, it has taken us a year and a half to actually say the words “I love you” and it has happened probably once or twice. I just really don’t feel the “need” to say it. I know he loves me, and he knows I love him, it’s just words, and I’m a very strong believer that actions talk louder than words! I also think if it’s over used, it isn’t as special anymore.