November 22, 2013
[This post was originally published by SCAN in November 2012, and we had so many readers like it that we wanted to share again on the new site as we head into the week of Thanksgiving. Enjoy!]
As many of the families in our community get ready for the Thanksgiving holiday next week (not to mention the rush into gift-giving season), we’ve heard parents struggling with how to teach their children gratitude.
- “Will my son ever say ‘thank you’ without being reminded?”
- “Why is my daughter focusing on what she DOESN’T have rather than everything she DOES have?”
- “Is gratitude something I can actually teach my kids?”
Let’s be honest–it’s not just children who often miss the focus on giving thanks. Many of us grown-ups could also use a reminder this time of year when it comes to being thankful and expressing gratitude.
So here’s your official reminder, parents: Take 5 minutes this week to consider how YOU can bring more gratitude into your daily family routine. Read our fact sheet on Being a Role Model for your kids, and check out our new Teaching Children Gratitude Board over on Pinterest!
We also love this article, Giving Thanks: 7 ways to teach kids, from parenting blogger Jeana Lee Tahnk over on The Huffington Post. Our favorites are #2 (Be a role model.) and #4 (Volunteer together.)
What about you? How do you teach gratitude to your children? Please share in the comments below.