I thought about this some days ago, I guess you were faster in expressing yourself and I must commend you for that. the 'L' word in my family right now would look so awkward and it may even disperse a family gathering for the embarrassment would cause... But I pledge to be a better parent, show good example to my kids cos I love it when I watch some foreign movies and the expression of love flows naturally without any effort.

Once in a while I say it to my kids

kristina1:

hehehe.......but am very innocent sha

innocent ?
you!
You know where liars will go on judgment day o...

All the time! we even sing a song to it

tolutweety:
I was only taught the expression of LOVE, no one deemed it necessary to teach me how to say the 'L' word in my family.

But in my university days, i made conscious effort to say these words: 'please', 'i love you' & 'thank you' unconditionally.

@first, It felt weird when i started using the 'L' word with my friends n my folks...but funnily, they've all caught the disease.My lil cousin calls me and tells me 'she loves me'. It is a part of me now.

I consciously hold myself from saying it to new friends tho' cos of whatever wrong impression that it might portray initially to them.
One of the very first thing i tell you when i get personal (a guy or a lady) is to get use to the fact that i use the 'L' word regularly 'cos i have been wired to love anyone unconditionally...AND I MEAN IT WHEN I SAY IT.

#SHALOM#

Okay...

I love you Tolu

CoCoLav:


Okay...

I love you Tolu

I love you more

OP no be lie o; I think its an African thing cause of the very disciplined way we bring up our kids. Like seriously can't imagine calling my mum and telling her love you

striktlymi:
I am sure if I call my parents this minute and just say: "I love you folks", they would be very worried and probably call on their parish priest to say a prayer for me because I may just be going nuts.

I was shocked to the realization that since I was born I have never for once thought of saying the "L" word to my folks and siblings, let alone putting the thought to words. This is not saying that I do not love them nor does it imply that they do not see that I do.

Far from it, I do love them and they see it in my actions but the challenge comes when I am asked to voice it to them. I believe firmly that saying "I love you" to them is the right thing to do but it is just so difficult.

I am quite sure that the difficulty has a lot to do with the way I and my siblings were brought up. We never got around saying "I love you" to each other. The closest we got to using the "L" word in the family was when we pray and recite the "Jesus I love you..." prayer etc.

As a grown man, I find it strange that an individual would bring up his family devoid of a phrase so simple. It matters not if they show each other love....I believe that phrase should be used in the family multiple times daily as it helps with the bonding process.

Op u are very correct, it's awkward in most nigerian families..it's not in our culture to say such. Within my nuclear family I simply taught them how to say it in French- Je t'aime - and surprising that caught on with almost everyone so that's what we use. It's less obvious I guess
My humble submission

striktlymi:
I am sure if I call my parents this minute and just say: "I love you folks", they would be very worried and probably call on their parish priest to say a prayer for me because I may just be going nuts.

I was shocked to the realization that since I was born I have never for once thought of saying the "L" word to my folks and siblings, let alone putting the thought to words. This is not saying that I do not love them nor does it imply that they do not see that I do.

Far from it, I do love them and they see it in my actions but the challenge comes when I am asked to voice it to them. I believe firmly that saying "I love you" to them is the right thing to do but it is just so difficult.

I am quite sure that the difficulty has a lot to do with the way I and my siblings were brought up. We never got around saying "I love you" to each other. The closest we got to using the "L" word in the family was when we pray and recite the "Jesus I love you..." prayer etc.

As a grown man, I find it strange that an individual would bring up his family devoid of a phrase so simple. It matters not if they show each other love....I believe that phrase should be used in the family multiple times daily as it helps with the bonding process.

Why don't you say it one day and see their reaction. They'll probably say God bless you If you have kids make sure that they always say I love you to them at the end of every phone call. Grand kids always make grand parents look at the world differently

Ahhhh!!!!!

Just thought of it now! I say it at the end of every phone call with my cousins but hardly say it to my immediate family members.

Weird? Well, it's could be because my cousins speak French, so do I and such things are easier said in French; a romantic language in which love is expressed at any slight opportunity. Unlike English where it's a boy-girl thing. Lol....

If I ever say it to my father, he'd die of high BP thinking something is about to happen to me. .

But trust me, my love for my peeps is never hidden.

Its a taboo in my house. As a matter of fact, U are criminal if U say it in my house. My parents raised us as all man for himself & words like that are very strange in here

kristina1:
I do say "i love you " to my mummy and brothers,but my dad,HELL TO THE NO.
But i love him alot,i just cant bring myself to say it.

Whaaaaaaaaaat

Shugaryme:
Always

Someone is trying hard to form yanker

the first time I told my mom "love you". she called me back saying I sent the text to the wrong person .

but with time, she has gotten used to the idea of me dropping the L word once in a blue moon

DonaldGenes:


Someone is trying hard to form yanker

I can see that someone is you. Take it easy with the trying hard o cos trying too hard isn't always good.

Most commonly: my mother and eldest brother. With everyone else it's more notably in the odd text, on the gift card accompanying a gift, or the see-you-later hug given pre-flight...not that I love them any less.

We didn't say 'I love you' growing up, but every night before I could even start getting ready for bed, my father would routinely ask me if I'd said 'goodnight' to my mother. 'Goodnight' consisted of saying "May God forgive us the day" [in our language], and giving her a kiss. She would then return the kiss and say, "Amen", and I would in turn say the same to my father to hear his "Amen" before trekking up the stairs to bed. My siblings followed that same routine growing up too.

That's the closest I can think of

There are so many other ways to express love, and when it's done properly, the verbal I-love-you's aren't really necessary (merely additional), and the same goes for romantic relationships IMO.

To my wife - less frequently than I should.
To my darling daughter - not enough times.
To my sisters - on occasion but truly heartfelt.
To my mother - twice or thrice I can remember, feels awkward despite she had a big smile each time.
To my father - never but the sentiment never diminishes in my heart.

LyfeJennings:
Its a taboo in my house. As a matter of fact, U are criminal if U say it in my house. My parents raised us as all man for himself & words like that are very strange in here

Taboo ke?? And a criminal?? Choi