Now Hiring Teachers For Our VPK & Toddler Programs! If you’re interested in playing a crucial role in shaping a child’s future APPLY HERE!
Gratitude is on our minds as Thanksgiving approaches. This holiday is an annual reminder to think about the people, memories, and acts of kindness that have been meaningful for us. But it can also be a time when we realize how much our children take for granted. Toddlers and preschoolers are especially guilty of this. They are still developing the emotional and cognitive capacity to appreciate the love, care, and gifts they are showered with. You can help your child develop an attitude of gratitude.
Why Does Gratitude Matter?
Teaching your child gratitude is about more than training them to say thank you. Practicing gratitude means cultivating thankfulness and expressing appreciation. Numerous studies have found that practicing gratitude improves our lives. It makes us happier, healthier, and more resilient. It doesn’t just benefit us; it benefits those around us. Appreciating all we have to be grateful for and expressing our gratitude improves our relationships with family, friends, and coworkers. Teaching your child to cultivate gratefulness will set them up for a richer, more fulfilling life.
What Does Gratitude Look Like?
According to researchers with the Raising Grateful Children project at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Spring Hill, there are four aspects of gratitude: noticing, thinking, feeling, and doing.
• What do you NOTICE that you are thankful for?
• Why do you THINK you have been given the care, kindness, or gifts you are grateful for?
• How do you FEEL about the things you are thankful for?
• What can you DO to express appreciation?
Most American parents focus on teaching their kids to notice and express appreciation. But, unfortunately, we often don’t help them think deeper about what they have to be thankful for and how they feel about it.
What Can You Do to Raise Grateful Children?
3 concrete ways you can help your child master the four aspects of gratitude
1. Model Gratitude
Our children learn so much about life by watching us. The most important thing you can do to teach them gratitude is by modeling it. Express your gratitude out loud around your kids. Say thank you when a stranger holds open a door. Share with your kids how touched you were by a family member, friend, or coworker’s actions or words. Etc. These everyday expressions of gratitude can have a significant impact on your kids.
2. Talk About Gratitude
Seize every opportunity to talk to your child about gratitude. Be intentional about asking them questions that explore the thinking and feeling aspect of gratitude. Questions like:
- Why do you think your friend gave you that gift?
- How did you feel when you received that gift?
These deeper questions help increase children’s emotional intelligence. There is a direct link between emotional intelligence and gratitude.
3. Incorporate a Gratitude Activity into Your Routine
On Thanksgiving, many families have each person around the dinner table say something they are grateful for. You don’t have to confine this tradition to one day a year! You could do this activity every evening at dinner or once a week. Some families incorporate gratitude time into their morning or evening routine. Incorporating gratitude into the rhythm of your day will help your child to develop and maintain an attitude of gratitude as they grow up.
We hope that these tips for raising grateful kids help you cultivate an atmosphere of thankfulness in your home. Our team at Kids’ R Kids Avalon Park is thankful for you and all the parents who entrust their fun, creative kids to our care. Working with children is our passion. We are so grateful that we have the opportunity to serve families in the Orlando, FL, area.