How To Reinforce The Value Of Gratitude To Our Kids [Parenting Tips]
I consider gratitude to be one of the most important values any individual could ever have. That’s because having gratitude keeps one appreciative of even the littlest things that they receive. As such, gratitude keeps people happy and contented with both material and non-material things that they continue to receive. In the end, I think a person who has gratitude has greater peace of mind and is, therefore, a lot happier in life.
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How To Reinforce The Value Of Gratitude To Our Kids [Parenting Tips]
What really is gratitude?
According to Wikipedia, gratitude is having a feeling of appreciation for the things that we receive.
A grateful person finds joy and bliss in the many simple things around them such as food on the table, a comfortable house to live in, clothes for protection, and so on, knowing that they are lucky to be provided with these necessities.
At times, we feel discontented with the things that we possess and that is understandable. As humans, it’s natural for us to strive for more. Furthermore, it’s not all the time when we’re not in the best mood. We ask questions, we compare our lives with other people, we dream of bigger things and those are perfectly fine as long as we don’t let those negative emotions consume us.
Just the same, when we feel dissatisfied and unhappy, it’s always beneficial to look back at what we have and do our best to find joy in the simplest of things.
How I plan to introduce the concept of gratitude to our kids
I think it’s never too early to start teaching our kids the importance of gratitude as a virtue. I know it will never be an easy journey, especially since children would often have varying wants. Having said that, teaching the value of gratitude to the little ones is part of the whole process of raising them. It’s something that needs to be consistently repeated to them to be able to inculcate the concept to them as they grow.
Photo by Giftpundits.com from Pexels
Before I continue though, I just want to say that I don’t consider myself an expert when it comes to the topic of parenting. After all, there is no one-size-fits-all parenting style. What works for me may not work for another and vice-versa. That’s the reason why I don’t really try to replicate the strategies of other parents. Just the same, I don’t and won’t ever impose my strategies on others.
I do read up a lot about how things are done for certain situations or some technical concept that I’m trying to understand. Most of the time though, I rely on gut feel because I know perfectly well what my kids need.
I’m sure you feel the same way, too, as parents. You listen to your instincts because you just know that they are almost always right.
Anyway, to proceed, I just want to share how I intend to instill and reinforce the concept of gratefulness to my kids.
1. Teach them to always say thank you
I want my kids to be generous in saying “thank you” as they grow up. I want them to be thankful for the gifts or favors they receive from people at all times. It’s always nice to express gratitude for the small things that come their way.
2. Appreciate the little things that come our way
No gift or blessing is too small. As such, I want my children to understand that whatever they receive deserves to be appreciated. In addition, I think learning to appreciate all things, big or small, is the secret to being truly happy.
3. Know the value of patience
I also want my kids to realize that not all things will be given to us right away. Many times, we have to wait for whatever we desire for an indefinite period of time. Therefore, we have to be grateful for what we have at the moment.
4. Learn to give back
I want to teach my children that a grateful heart is a generous one. A person who is grateful feels that he has all the essentials that he needs, as such, they feel find happiness in sharing what they have with other people. In a way, being generous is like letting other people enjoy the same privileges that they have.
5. We may sometimes not get the things that we wish for at all
In the end, not everything will be given to us and that’s perfectly fine. Still, we should count the things that have been given to us and not dwell on the things that we didn’t get. After all, there are occasions when we receive what we wished for in a different form, we just need to learn how to recognize them.
Things that I’m grateful for
At this point, I’d like to express my appreciation for the wonderful things my family and I have received during the past year or so.
Photo by Marcus Wöckel from Pexels
Firstly, I’m grateful for the gift of health because my family and I remain disease-free in the time of the pandemic.
Secondly, I would like to express my appreciation to all the brands that have trusted me for their campaigns. They are the following:
Alaska
Ariel Detergent
Bayani Brew
Big Oven
Bioderm
Bioflu
Canon
Chicken Stop
Clearex
Coms360 and Page One
Ed & Kes soap
Glorious Coffee
Home Foodie
Human Nature
Kidloland
Kleenfant
Lady’s Choice
Liang Crispy Roll
Lola Remedios
Lumina Homes
M2 Malunggay Tea
Malayan Insurance
Novellino Wines
Old Spice
Realfit Gopods E5 Earbuds
Rodolfo Pizzeria
Trulife Digestipro
URC
Vince Dizon
Wise Cleaner
Yellow Cab
Moreover, I’m thankful for the new people in the blogging industry that I’ve met. I’ve received so many opportunities even if I still consider blogging as a hobby and I'm not a popular blogger.
I don't and won't ever consider myself an influencer. Just the same, I'm happy to be able to convey positive messages to other people. And for all of those, I’m grateful.
Epilogue
I consider gratitude to be an important virtue. I’d like to think that I have it as I’m thankful for all the blessings that I receive. Like everybody else, I’m not perfect but I do try my best to be contented and grateful for what I have.
Gratitude is something that I also want my kids to have so I’ll try my best to introduce and reinforce it to them as early as I can. After all, it’s never too early to instill positive ideals in our children.
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