Exploring gratitude comes from the act of being thankful and appreciating everything every good in your life, no matter how big or small they may be. These can be from the kind neighbours you have to the job that allows you to provide for you and your family. However, with life being so hectic and fast paced, it is easy to forget the good you already possess and only focus on what you haven’t attained. It is important to be taught gratitude at a young age as it instils a positive mindset and will create an overall more optimistic and happier individual. Here are some tips from a girl’s prep school in Surrey on how to explore gratitude with your child.
Make it something they hear a lot. Children learn a lot from their parents and home life so it is important to do your best to teach them. Use dinner as a time to discuss what your child’s happiest moment of the day was and get them to try and think of different things every day. With family being around the table too, your child will listen to what other family members enjoyed in their day and may use it as inspiration for what they can also look out for to be grateful for.
Be vocal and tell your child when you are thankful for them or anything they do. Sometimes, children think you’ve got to do something in order to be thanked, but the mere existence of someone can be something to be grateful for too. Sit your child down, give them love and tell them how thankful you are that they are in your life. You’ll notice your child will start to be more grateful about the presence of things instead of waiting for things to be done first. Refrain from complaining too much in front of your children as it is easily picked up and can lead to a negative attitude in your child.
Encourage your child to show appreciation. This can be done in both home and school. Buying their teacher a small gift at the end of the school year can show effort and thankfulness for the teacher’s hard work. Taking it into the home, you can get your child to help you with chores or making dinner. This will create a better understanding on the difficulties adults go through to make children’s lives easier and will surely make them more grateful for the efforts.
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