Thanksgiving Gratitude

This Thanksgiving, teach your child to be grateful. Teaching children to say “thank you” is important, but truly instilling a sense of gratitude is another matter entirely. Gratitude goes beyond good manners, it’s a mindset. Gratitude benefits everyone on a basic level. Gratitude can increase happiness, self-esteem, hope, empathy and optimism, but gratitude must be taught!

– Give children age-appropriate chores to help them appreciate the tasks require effort.

– Teach good manners, as they overlap with gratefulness.

– Before going to bed, share something each of you are thankful for.

– Model grateful behavior by thanking them when they do something you appreciate.

– Help children understand that gifts are thoughtful gestures, no matter how big or small.

– Resist buying children everything they want, which causes them to de-value and not respect their possessions.

– Allow children the opportunity to save up for some wanted item. It encourages appreciation for what they have.

– Say “thank you” sincerely and often. The values children embrace are the ones they see you embracing such as, thanking the waitress, cashier at the grocery store, teller at the bank and others who serve you.

– Spirituality and gratitude go hand in hand. Teach children to say thank you prays for blessings.

– Teach “it’s better to give than to receive”. It feels great to help others. Giving time and energy to help others, will help them appreciate their health, home and family.

– Teach children to treat others with dignity and respect and to appreciate the ways in which they contribute to make the world and their lives better. Model the importance of treating everyone with respect no matter what their station in life happens to be.

– Have conversations about the concept of gratitude with children and look for real situations to illustrate these values. When kids complain refocus them on the positives they may be overlooking.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!