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Thanksgiving this year may look and feel very different from previous years. With concerns about at-risk family members’ health and this global crisis weighing on us, it might seem like a bad time for a celebration. But practicing gratitude with your family is an excellent way to boost your spirits.
Giving thanks for the positives in your life is good for your mind, body, and relationships, according to Dr. Robert Emmons, the leading scientific expert on gratitude. All of us could use those benefits now more than ever! Gratitude can be a difficult concept for toddlers and preschoolers to understand. It is a social-emotional skill that kids must be taught, just like sharing or empathy.
Modeling gratitude at home will help your child develop this critical social-emotional skill. It can inspire them to be kinder to others. Research by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence has found that people with a grateful attitude are more likely to be generous.
three ways you can to teach your toddler or preschooler gratitude at home:
#1. Express gratitude for simple pleasures and acts of kindness.
Children learn best by watching your behavior and mirroring it. That’s why modeling gratitude every day is the number one way to teach your child to have a grateful heart. When someone holds a door open for you, helps you with a task, or compliments you, be sure to thank them in front of your child. When you are with your child, express gratitude for simple pleasures like a beautiful sunset, delicious meal, or lovely music. Most of all, let your child know that you are grateful for the time that you spend with them and for their little acts of kindness.
#2. Count your blessings together.
This holiday season is a wonderful time to do a gratitude project with your child. A popular way to do this is to make a paper tree and cut out leaves to tape onto it. Every day leading up to Thanksgiving, ask your child one thing that they are thankful for. Then write it on a leaf and paste it to your tree. To make your list more meaningful, encourage them to think of specific moments from this year that they are grateful for.
After the holiday, continue to make time to count your blessings. Many families choose a time, such as mealtime or bedtime, to ask their child one thing they were grateful for that day.
#3. Practice giving as a family.
Teaching your child to share their time and resources with others can help them be more grateful for what they have. There are many fun ways to teach your child to practice generosity. You could ask them to make a drawing or card for a neighbor, friend, or family member who is ill. You could recruit them to help you pick out toys and clothes they’ve outgrown to fill a donation box for a local or international charity. Kids ‘R Kids Avalon Park recently had a Can-a-Thon Food Drive to give to local families in need this holiday season. It was an excellent opportunity for families to practice generosity together.
2020 has been a tough year! You can bring warmth and joy into this holiday season by practicing gratitude and generosity with your family. Cultivate a grateful heart in your child by celebrating small blessings, creating a gratitude project, and giving back to your community together!