Meanwhile, what we tend to dismiss as our children's "wants" — play, physical closeness, having a say, being taken seriously — are needs too. In NVC, a need is something people require in order to thrive, including physical needs like food and water, and intangible ones like respect, meaning, and connection. Most parents I work with have strong needs for rest, ease, and collaboration. ‘ What Is the Difference Between Needs and Wants? I could look at what my child needs — movement, attention — and address that instead.