What to say in a video message for someone you love

Most people sit down to record, open their mouth, and freeze. Not because they have nothing to say, but because they have everything to say and no idea where to start.

Here’s the good news: a message that lands isn’t a speech. It’s one story, one thank-you and one hope, told in your own voice. About a minute. You can record as many as you like.

Start with their name and today’s date

“Hi Maya. It’s a Tuesday in October and you’re asleep upstairs.” That’s it. Years from now, the date and the ordinary detail will be the most precious part.

Tell one story

Pick a single moment you were there for. Not the biggest one, the one you remember best.

• The day they were born, and what the weather was doing.
• The Saturday they insisted on cracking every egg themselves.
• The time they were brave and didn’t know it.

Tell it the way you’d tell it at the kitchen table. Pauses and laughs included.

Say one thank-you

Be specific. “Thank you for being patient with me” is fine. “Thank you for waiting in the car every Thursday while I finished the late shift” is a gift.

Give one hope, not a list of instructions

Nobody needs a list of rules from the past. They need to know what you hoped for them. “I hope you keep asking why.” “I hope you find someone who laughs at your jokes.” One is enough.

End simply

“I love you. That’s the whole message.” You don’t need a better ending than that.

If you’re stuck

Use a prompt. The prompts for your children each come with a one-line example, and the 52 Questions guide is a printable you can keep by the fridge.

Then press record. The first take is usually the best one.