By
Dr. Caron B. Goode
www.acpi.biz
Seven Simple Ways to Teach Your Children Gratitude
- Daily Dose. Take time each day to encourage your children to express gratitude. They can do this by making an entry in a family journal or by simply talking about what they are grateful for.
- Model Thanks. As with everything, modeling is the best way to teach your children to be grateful. Be lavish with your thanks. Thank your children for hugs. Thank the cashier for ringing up your groceries. Thank the bus driver for returning your students home safely. Letting your children see that you are grateful will encourage them to be so as well.
- Establish Rituals. We all know the importance of family rituals. Establishing rituals that highlight being thankful is a wonderful teaching tool. Start dinner with each family member sharing what they are most grateful for. Say goodnight by sharing what you were thankful for that day. Any ritual that based on gratitude will reinforce its power.
- Volunteer. Volunteering is a great way for your children to see gratitude in action. There are numerous chances in every community to volunteer. Homeless shelters, nursing homes, and mentoring programs are just a few. There may also be other opportunities closer to home. Perhaps an elderly relative or neighbor could use a hand. It feels good to help others. Therefore, your children not only benefit from that, but they also get to experience the warmth of appreciation. Two things for which they can be grateful.
- Assign Chores. Children learn by doing chores. They learn what it means to be part of a whole. They learn their contributions are important. They also learn that most things take effort. Simple household chores can help children learn to be grateful when they benefit from the efforts of others.
- Thank You Notes. Writing thank you notes for gifts is a very literal way of teaching your children gratitude. Putting down on paper what they enjoyed about a particular gift, reminds your children why they are grateful for it.
- Find Your Gratitude. Always be on the lookout for things to be grateful for and express your gratitude. When your children hear you say things like, “Buster is such a good dog” or “What a beautiful day”, they realize they can be grateful for even the smallest of things.
How do I teach my child to be grateful?
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Gratitude is best taught through daily habits rather than one-time lessons. Model it openly — thank the cashier, the bus driver, your child for a hug — so they see gratitude lived out rather than just talked about. Establish simple rituals like sharing one thing you’re thankful for at dinner or at bedtime. Even asking a four-year-old to pass along a good toy to a child who has none helps them understand that gratitude and generosity go hand in hand.
Can gratitude actually be taught, or is it just a personality trait?
It can absolutely be taught. Research shows that people who were asked to write down four or five things they were grateful for each day began feeling measurably happier in as little as two weeks. Gratitude isn’t a fixed character trait children either have or don’t — it’s a habit of attention that parents can build through consistent, everyday practice.
What daily rituals help kids develop a grateful attitude?
Some of the most effective gratitude habits are also the simplest: starting dinner by having each family member share what they were grateful for that day, saying goodnight with a moment of thanks, writing a brief thank-you note for a gift received, and volunteering together so children can see and feel the warmth of appreciation firsthand. When gratitude is woven into the rhythm of family life, it becomes the lens through which children naturally see the world.
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