Parents Share the Nicest Thing Their Kids Have Said to Them—We're Not Crying, You Are

Every night I lie in bed and review all the things I feel I could have done better as a parent. On any given evening, I might chide myself for losing my cool when my toddler hit his baby brother—again—or lament that I should have found a way to spend more one-on-one time with my third-grader after school instead of getting caught up in making dinner and preparing for the next busy day.

As parents, it's easy to be hard on ourselves and far more challenging to pat ourselves on the back for things we handled well. Given that reality, I'm always moved to tears when my 9-year-old makes me a card to say she loves me, and I'm the best mom ever—a practice she engages in often, because, well, my daughter's awesome! I'll tell her, "I needed that," upon receiving one of her trademark pick-me-up grams.

Likewise, if my son randomly says to me, "You're wonderful," or my recent favorites: "You're a miracle," and "You're a good idea," I like to take a beat and enjoy the compliment. Because in a matter of seconds, I'll probably feel like I'm failing—when was the last time I bathed him?

In a recent Reddit thread, other parents shared the nice things their kids say to help them focus on the positive. After sharing an anecdote about their child appreciating being taken care of while sick, the original poster prompted other Reddit users, "When's the last time your kids showed you what a great job you're actually doing?"

"My almost 6-year-old tells me all the time that I'm 'the best mom she's ever had' hahaha I love it all the same," one poster adorably shared.

Someone else revealed this sweet gem their child has told them: "My favorite color is the color that you are."

When another mom asked her daughter to help out with a household chore, she shared that the 5-year-old preciously replied, "I'll do anything for you, Mommy!"

From being told, "You're pretty cool," to just, "you look so pretty," or "you're so cute," parents really need and appreciate when their kids of any age stop to validate the blood, sweat, and tears that go into raising them.

One stay-at-home mom got me a bit misty-eyed by sharing this story: "Every day whether we go out and do something or just are at home, my middle daughter who is just about 5 says to me, 'This is the best day ever, mom.' A lot of the times I am wondering if I am doing enough for my three kids but this genuine compliment from my 5-year-old lets me know, I am." Sniff. I'll be okay.

Sometimes it's just the little things that parents love to hear, like, "Dad, this [omelet] is absolutely perfect" or "you make everything you cook special." In other cases, parents were bowled over when their kids showed their gratitude for the big stuff out of the blue. One teenager told her parent, "Thank you for being there for me."

"Thank you" and "I love you" certainly go a long way with parents judging by the comments in the thread.