The Gratitude Mindset: How To Pass It On To Your Children

 

Teaching kids gratitude is one of the most important things that parents can do for their children. Teaching them to be grateful for what they have will help them develop a positive outlook on life, and will also teach them how to be humble. 

 

Many parents claim their children aren't as appreciative as they should be as families get ready to celebrate a holiday centered on thanksgiving.

 

According to a recent national survey, more than half of parents worry that they spoiled their kids, and four out of five parents claim that kids nowadays aren't as appreciative as they should be and two out of five admit that they are occasionally "embarrassed by how selfish their child acts."

 

Parents may teach compassion and thankfulness to their children all year long, even though Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to give thanks. Children will learn to appreciate what they have and to be grateful for others over time and through experiences.

 

The majority of parents surveyed concur that it is possible to teach children to express gratitude, although they chose different strategies.

 

In this blog post, we will discuss 5 ways that you can teach your children gratitude.

 

1. ENCOURAGE THEM TO KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL 

One of the best ways to teach your children gratitude is to encourage them to keep a gratitude journal. Every day, have them write down five things that they are grateful for. This could be anything from their favorite toy to the sun shining outside. Helping them to focus on the positive things in their life will teach them to be grateful for the good, even when times are tough.

Birthdays, holidays, and other occasions that include giving gifts also allow parents the chance to teach their kids to value both the gift and the giver. 

 

All ages of children can create or write thank-you notes to show appreciation for a gift. They can explain why they value the present and how they intend to use it.

2. THANK THEM OFTEN

Another great way to teach your children gratitude is to thank them often. When they do something nice for you or someone else, make sure to let them know how much you appreciate it. This will help them to understand that their actions can make a difference in the world and that they should be grateful for what they have.

 

3. MODEL GRATITUDE YOURSELF

 

One of the best ways to teach your children gratitude is to model it yourself. Let them see you being thankful for the good things in your life. Thank your spouse for dinner, thank the cashier at the grocery store, and express gratitude whenever you can. When your children see you being grateful, they will be more likely to develop a grateful attitude themselves.

 

The next time they fill a donation box, parents might consider engaging kids in the process and discussing how the things they once used or played with can now help someone else.

 

Talking about gratitude

 

Another way families encourage gratitude is by giving everyone a chance to express their gratitude at the dinner table or other times throughout the day. Parents can teach their children to express gratitude by listing their daily blessings aloud. This might involve talking about anything good that happened during the day or expressing general thankfulness for their family, friends, and possessions.

 

4. HELP THEM GIVE BACK

 

Another great way to teach your children gratitude is to help them give back. Volunteer together at a local food bank or soup kitchen, or help out at a local animal shelter. Showing your children that they can make a difference in the lives of others will teach them to be grateful for what they have and will also help them develop a sense of compassion.

Volunteering

 

The majority of parents—nearly two thirds—have engaged their kids in volunteer or service work of some kind, with half of them noting that this has included unofficial assistance for friends or family.

 

More over a third of parents claim their children have given back to the neighborhood through extracurricular activities at school, such fundraisers or clean-up days. Some people have given back to their community by way of their place of worship or another institution.

 

From helping with household chores to volunteering with neighbors, at a school, or at a community event is a natural next step. Parents may want to explain the purpose of the activity and how it will benefit others in an age-appropriate manner to their children in order to encourage their sense of gratitude.

Giving

 

Children should participate in decision-making rather than being forced to let go of anything. For instance, students might be given one keep box to fill with all of their favorite stuff before choosing how many items they want to think about donating.

 

Children may first be unwilling to donate their used toys—not because they still want to play with them, but perhaps because they feel helpless.

 

Parents should give kids the authority to make these choices on their own and gently guide them toward understanding how their kindness might make another kid happy.

 

5. ENCOURAGE THEM TO EXPRESS THEIR GRATITUDE

 

Finally, encourage your children to express their gratitude. This could be as simple as saying “thank you” more often, or it could be writing thank-you notes to people who have done something nice for them. Helping your children to express their gratitude will not only teach them the importance of being thankful, but will also help them develop better communication skills.

 

Making ‘thank you’ a regular phrase

 

Reminding children to behave properly is one of the methods mentioned most frequently by parents as a way to teach their children gratitude. Approximately 88% of parents teach their kids to say please and thank you on a regular basis, 11% do so sporadically, and 1% do it infrequently. However, children shouldn't simply repeat these phrases without understanding what they mean.

 

There is a difference between politeness and gratitude.Parents must make clear the purpose of their request for their child to express gratitude if they want to assist them learn to be appreciative.

 

Teaching your children gratitude is one of the most important things that you can do for them. By following these tips, you can help your children develop a positive outlook on life and teach them the importance of being thankful for what they have.

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