After leaving a really fun party, my daughter got upset that it was over the other day. She didn’t want it to end. This happens a lot with my kids after the fun ends at parties, play dates, and special outings. So my husband and I told her, don’t be upset that it’s over, be happy that it happened. That got me thinking a lot about thankfulness and gratitude.
Since Thanksgiving is this month, I think it’s the perfect time to talk with our kids about all we’re thankful for and ways to show gratitude towards others. There are many ways to incorporate thankfulness into our daily lives, and it can be a lot of fun and very gratifying for everyone.
One of the simplest ways to discuss thankfulness is to do so around mealtime. Sitting down for a meal together as a family is always one of my favorite times of the day. On one particular day last week, we went around the table saying one thing we were thankful for that day. It helps to change your perspective on something and can help flip what you thought was a bad day into something in which you can find positivity.
During one of your next family meals, have everyone go around the table saying one thing they are thankful for that day. Sometimes, especially if you or your kid is having a bad day, it might seem hard to come up with something, but it could be the simplest thing like, “I played with my buddy at recess today,” or “I had a great cup of coffee this morning.”
