Never.

My mother: once or twice in my life?
My father: never.

And yet... they adore me, and I am well aware of that fact. They demonstrated it by physical affection, attention, and care.

Interestingly, my husband, who has high-functioning autism, not only has never told his children he loved them, but they are unsure he does. Because he is critical and difficult to please, so even though he spends a lot on their care, education and hobbies... their impressions of him are not positive. He is not a physically affectionate person, and struggles with expressing positive emotions. We've had many conversations about this.

As a child, never.

As an adult 30+ it was "love ya" at the end of a phone call.

Everyday

My parents very rarely said it. Mostly during a lecture or punishment like : I’m doing this bc I love you. I expect this bc I love you.

I tell my 2 children all the time. I have 1 tween and 1 teen and honestly I tell them more frequently the older they get. They need to know they are loved and valued. I also praise their specific attributes frequently. Pretty much how I wished to be treated I am treating them.

Anonymous wrote:Never. And never hugged me. Now my mom tries both and I can't get on board. It just doesn't feel right.

But I tell my kid I love him every day.

Aw. You should let them try. I think things were just different back in the day. My dad never hugged me until I was about 45. It was a little weird, but I let him. I got about 6 years of hugs before he passed away. I think it was good for my kids to see too.

Anonymous wrote:My mom only started telling me
she loved me when I was about 40 and only when saying goodbye on phone calls. She said my grandmother never told her she loved her, even when Grandma knew she was dying. My dad? Never.

Same here. I tell my kids when I drop them off and when I say good night. Funny, I don't tell my husband as much, but he knows I love him too. For him, I like to quote that line from The Middle. I'm paraphrasing, but the husband says something like, "I told you I loved you at our wedding, if that changes, I'll let you know."

Never. And never hugged me. Now my mom tries both and I can't get on board. It just doesn't feel right.

But I tell my kid I love him every day.

My mom always always told me. Very often. My ILs, in 20 years, I don't think I've ever heard them tell DH. It makes me sad for them.

Never. Which is weird, because they were involved.

I tell my kids all of the time.

Mom-- everyday, often more once.

Dad-- on the phone and when departing for long periods.

South Asian family - My parents never used the words - nor did I - but I always knew they loved me, and never doubted it. We use the words all the time with our kids - both teens.

Anonymous wrote:Never as a child.

I got into a bit of trouble when I was 17. My dad asked me if he could do anything to be a better father. I told him he should say I love you.

He said I love you every single solitary time he saw me from 17 to 83 when he passed away

My mother never said I love you.

I adore the story about your dad.

all the time. I cannot think of why, when, or how we would ever withhold any "love you"s. We talk all the time, are very huggy, and quite close.

In turn, I'm the same with my kids = constantly hugging and kissing them. My husband grew up the same. I find it shocking when others aren't the same way. I hear that it happens but just don't understand how it works in practice.

Numerous times a day.

I was raised on the south and their parents never told them they loved them. Very authoritarian old school childhoods so they swore they’d never do that to me and my siblings.
We are very close to this day.