I have been thinking a lot lately about gratitude, maybe it's the upcoming season of giving thanks, or maybe it's just something I feel I want to have more of in my life, and by extension, I want to raise my children to be grateful. It's so easy to get wrapped up in "I want this" and "I want that." My children are always asking for things, and I know that's very normal for children, but how do I combat the overwhelming message they get from media, from friends, from the world, that it's all about the getting? I found this lovely blog, and this mom has some wonderful ideas. I'm not sure exactly how to give credit in the "grammatically appropriate way," but here's her blog address, and here are her ideas:
Source: http://practicalkatie.com/2012/03/19/lessons-in-gratitude/
1. The Happiness Jar: When kids become bored, frustrated, or feel like they don’t have what they really need in life, it can be useful to stop and think about what they do have. What you need: A large glass jar and a stack of index cards. In a moment of calm, ask your kids to name the things that make them feel happy. Write one happy statement on each index card and place them in a large glass jar. Place the jar in a prominent place and reach in and grab a happy statement when life starts to feel overwhelming or unfair. Talk about why that makes everyone happy. It might be playing cars, walks on the beach, or chasing butterflies that makes your children happy on any given day. Sometimes they just need a gentle reminder that they can do any of these things. For that, they can be thankful.
2. Three Good Things: Bedtime is a great time to decompress and check in with your kids. It’s also a great time to talk about gratitude. Ask your child to identify three good things in her life as she goes to sleep. Keep a journal by her bed so that you can write them down and revisit them during the day. You will probably find that family, mommy & daddy, and favorite toys make the list often. Many kids tend to think about these things as they end the day. Having them verbalize it shows them that it feels good to go to sleep feeling happy and thankful.
3. Collect Coins: It’s no secret that kids love coins. They like to play with them, hoard them, fill their banks with them, and throw them in fountains. Create a special coin collection jar. Have your kids put a few coins in the jar each week. When the jar is full, talk about local charities where they can donate the coins. Better yet, find a fountain that donates the coins to a local food bank or some other charity and make it a fun outing. Be sure to explain where they money goes and how it helps other people. Kids (even toddlers) take great pride in helping others.
4. Pick a Stick: Do you ever feel like your kids are constantly looking for something to dodespite shelves of books and toys? It can be tempting to start listing the things they should be grateful for, but this doesn’t actually teach a lesson. Sometimes kids just need visuals. Make a list of fun family activities and toys and games the kids have at their disposal. Make use of those extra craft sticks by writing one activity on the end of each stick. Flip the sticks over and ask your child to pick one. Flip the stick back over to see what activity the family should do next! Sometimes a simple game to make things fun reminds our children that wonderful things are all around us.
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