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We all want our children to grow up feeling grateful for the things they have, but it can be hard in today’s world where it’s easy to compare ourselves to others. Children who regularly practise gratitude are more likely to approach life and any challenges they face with a positive attitude, and as parents we can help them foster a grateful mindset. Read on for some tips from a private boys’ school in London on how you can explore gratitude with your child.
Practise frequently
Gratitude is a habit and the best way to develop a habit that sticks is to practise it regularly. Encourage your child to list a few things they’re grateful for at the end of each day, or create a ritual of going round the table at dinner time to identify great things that have happened. Doing this will help your child develop an optimistic outlook on life and the ability to tackle obstacles with positivity.
Keep a journal
Buy your child a journal they can use to jot down things they’re grateful for, perhaps before they go to bed. This will prompt them to really think about the good things in their life, which will help counteract any negative incidents or thoughts they might be having.
Model gratitude
Children learn a lot from watching their parents and how they interact with the world, so if you want your child to be grateful it’s important to model this yourself. Try to limit complaining and work to find the positives in frustrating situations. Make sure your child sees you doing this and get them involved in picking out the silver linings.
Demonstrate appreciation for others
Teach your child to show appreciation when people do something nice for them, or just as a matter of course; for example, you could get them involved in picking a present for their teacher at the end of term or writing a letter to a relative to show how much they care about them. Regular, small acts of appreciation like this will help them develop a grateful outlook.
Give Back
To avoid your child feeling entitled to things, ask them to help you give back to the local community. They could join you on a volunteering activity so they see that not everyone has the things they do and that we can all help each other with compassion. This will encourage your child to appreciate what they have and empathise with others in a less fortunate position.
Helping your child foster an appreciative mindset will allow them to reflect positively on their life and feel more fulfilled in general.
