How to Raise a Grateful Child
Woah! How to raise a grateful child!!! That’s seems super important and not super simple. In the United States, many of us have some many comforts and everyday luxuries. We grow accustomed to living this lifestyle and many times children are not grateful (as well as adults) for all that we have. Parents, grandparents, and teachers need to provide experiences and time for reflection to help raise a grateful child.
Children Learn Gratitude By Example
Children learn by example, so what better way of teaching them the meaning of gratitude by your own actions. Teaching them what gratitude means will help them their whole lives.
Start out by demonstrating to them just how thankful you are for having them as your children. Make a point of telling each child why they are special to you, and do this fairly often. I once read a blog post about how a mother would touch each of her child’s five fingers, one at a time, commenting about 5 strengths, talents or achievements they accomplished. On occasion, I slip in my child’s bed right before they are going to sleep and grab his/her hand touching one finger at a time. It is very cozy and I see their eyes light up with each of the 5 comments.
As the children get older, they don’t necessarily want a “snuggle” from me anymore. For the older kids, I give quick hugs or a pat on the back to show I am grateful for them in our lives.
Be Grateful for Yourself
In order for you to teach your children the meaning of gratitude, you need to know what you are grateful for yourself. Take a few minutes each day and contemplate this.
Here are some questions you could ask yourself.
- Why are you grateful to be a parent?
- What is it about your child that makes you grateful?
- Who in your family are you grateful for and why?
Show Gratitude to Others
Then don’t forget to ask yourself how you can show your gratitude to others. This might include volunteering at your child’s school or helping at a bake sale. This will also help teach your children the value of giving to others and helping out in your local community.
As a parent, you know the importance of leading by example, and this should spill over into all areas of your life. Young children are like sieves, they watch your every move and soak things up more than you may ever know. They instinctively know when you are upset or not feeling well. These same instincts can be applied to the practice of showing gratitude and being thankful.
Spend Time Together
Ensure that as a family you spend time together during all those important holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, as well as birthdays and anniversaries. Celebrating milestones is another wonderful way of teaching your children how to be grateful.
Tiny Moments
Don’t overlook the small things in life either. If your child has tried to pack their lunch, appreciate what they have attempted. Don’t just tell them they didn’t get it right. Show your appreciation for the fact that they wanted to help you out. This will not deter them from trying again, instead, they will keep on wanting to please you in any way possible.
Start today and focus on how to raise a grateful child. By working on ways to teach your children the meaning of gratitude it will allow them to deepen their family bond and to share this meaning with their own friends and acquaintances.
Take the Family Gratitude Challenge
The Family Gratitude Challenge gets you pointed in the right direction when it comes to learning how to raise a grateful child. It is a dynamic book. Your family will gather together to read a reflection on each topic and then complete the gratitude challenge that follows. All 25 challenges do not require any preparation or special materials except printing the gratitude exercises for each person to complete. It is SUPER EASY to get started. Go in order with the gratitude exercises for 25 days, try one challenge per week or per month and take a moment to be grateful for your family and friends.
