The month of November gets all of us thinking about what we are thankful for, but fostering gratitude in children is a priority for parents all year long.
What is gratitude? According to Vocabulary.com, gratitude is “a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation.”
You may think of gratitude as something that occurs naturally and spontaneously. While that can be true, studies have also shown that consciously working to foster thankfulness has mental health benefits.
Fostering gratitude in young children, helps them grow up happier and healthier. In fact, one study found that grateful children are not only more optimistic, but they are more likely to have social support and offer social support to those around them.
We’ve pulled together some fun, yet simple ideas to help parents and grandparents give little ones a head start in expressing appreciation and thanks.
1. Create a gratitude habit.
Practicing gratitude doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated. Pick a routine time that works for your family to share what you are grateful for on a regular basis. It could be a few minutes at bedtime, around the dinner table or on the car ride home from school. Ask your kids to name one good thing that happened that day, one person they are thankful for or one nice thing they’d like to do for someone else the next day.
2. Make a “thankful jar.”
It's never too early to get kids thinking about gratitude. An easy idea to get them started is to create a "thankful jar." Have everyone in your family write down several things they are thankful for on slips of paper, fold them up and stick them in a jar. Then throughout November enjoy pulling out the slips one at a time to read together.
3. Decorate your dinner table.
Whether you are having a large family gathering for Thanksgiving or keeping it small, roll out a large piece of butcher paper and let family write one thing they are thankful for this year. Put out fun markers and stickers and let everyone get creative.
4. Set up a thank-you-card station.
Create a “Thank You Card station” with a stack of thank-you cards, nice stationary, fun pens, and stickers and envelopes. Encourage kids to write notes for teachers, neighbors and grandparents for all of the big and small things they are thankful for.
5. Model gratitude.
Kids learn a lot by observing those around them. Actively try and set an example of what expressing gratitude looks like and they will follow suite. Talk to them about how you are thankful for them, and the things and people in your life. Let them watch you express your thanks to the cashier at the grocery store or someone who holds the door open for you.
6. Help others together.
Print a Random Acts of Kindness Bingo game for a fun way to do nice things for those around you together. Look for opportunities to volunteer together. Even the littlest of kids can help pack care packages, pick up trash or make cards for an assisted living facility.
7. Read together.
Read books together that talk about kindness, gratitude and giving thanks. There are great options for all ages to reinforce the habit of being thankful. In Thankful Animals, Thankful Me by Steve Metzger, animals are the perfect example of modeling gratitude by being thankful for the simple things all around them. Share a Little Kindness by Colleen Brunetti encourages kids to be the good in the world by sharing a little kindness to those around them.
With a little guidance from caring adults and opportunities to actively practice sharing their appreciation, gratitude will become second nature to kids in no time.
Working together as a family to make gratitude a habit is sure to benefit everyone, young and old(er).