Showing gratitude can go a long way in making those around you feel appreciated and can help strengthen relationships. It’s also key to explore with children as it can boost their self-esteem. It reminds them that they are loved and cared for. Here are a few ways that you can do this exercise and help your child develop gratitude.
Exploring Gratitude – Start with Thank You
Saying “thank you” is the easiest way to show someone your gratitude. Just the two words alone can have a huge impact and are easy enough to remember. You can use reminders to help your child get in the habit of this.
The Benefits of Exploring Gratitude
One of the main benefits, as we’ve mentioned, is that it helps children recognise that they are loved and form stronger bonds with those around them. This can be big for their confidence and in turn help them make progress at school and various aspects of their lives. Subsequently other benefits follow, such as improved sleep, resilience, optimism, and reduced stress.
Exploring Gratitude – A Thank You Note
Going out of your way to write a handwritten thank you note can really make someone feel special and valued. This is something that you might choose to do with your child at the end of the year for their teachers or others that have helped them at school.
Exploring Gratitude – Saying Grace
When around the dining table for dinner, you may choose to all say a few words about the things that you’re grateful for as a family. You don’t need to be religious or say a prayer at the end – anyone can do this activity. It can offer good practice as it encourages children to reflect on a daily basis.
Exploring Gratitude – A Gratitude Jar
If your child prefers to do this by themselves and explore their gratitude privately, they can do so by keeping a gratitude jar. As the name implies, it’s a jar that they fill with all the things that they have to be grateful for. All they need to do is simply write them down on pieces of paper and stow them away. It can serve as a nice visual reminder that they are loved and have so much to be grateful for.
Exploring Gratitude – A Gratitude Journal
Another means of exploring gratitude is journaling. It gives children the opportunity to detail whatever they like and keep a personal account which they can later look back on.
*Collaborative post