Texting Tip: Put Some Heart Into It!

I was talking with a mother the other day about a text message she sent to her young son where she wrote "I wish that I could be there to hug you." This is a lovely thought and I admire the mother's desire to stay connected to her child while they are apart. At the same time, it occurred to me that this message could come across as sort of defeatist or emphasizing the fact that she is not there to hug him. As an alternative, we came up with the idea that she could say, "I am sending you warm hugs right now," which is the same general idea of conveying physical affection but psychologically might actually feel more connected and loving than the original version of the text. I also recommended always including a heart emoji or an image of something that conveys warmth and love. The heart emoji is my favorite emoji because it always adds a touch of warmth to any message. Compare a plan tex message of "Hope you're having a great day" to "Hope you're having a great day" with a heart emoji at the end. I personally think the heart emoji conveys love, connection, and affection almost better than any words can -- especially in a text message where brevity is the norm. Remember, that images (emojis, gifs, pictures) can bypass the rational part of someone's brain and speak directly to their heart. So, the next time you text your beloved child, remember to put your heart into it!