For giving me the keys to the car last Saturday night, money for my field trip, a roof over my head, a closet full of clothes, three meals a day…
Thanksgiving may be the only day of the year you hear those words uttered by your self-absorbed teenagers. Then again, you may happen to parent a child who defies typical teen-dom and actually demonstrates an attitude of gratitude on a daily basis. If this is the case, then you have one more thing to be thankful for next Thursday.
Children aren’t the only ones who are guilty of taking things for granted. In the rush to get all of the ingredients you need to feed a house full of family members this Thanksgiving (not to mention cleaning the house, decorating, and cooking the feast) it’s easy to lose perspective on the true meaning of Turkey Day.
We may be fooled into thinking it’s gluttony, but in actuality the holiday is one that centers around reflection and gratitude. You don’t have to have a house full of children to know that raising thankful kids in today’s world isn’t easy. With the media constantly bombarding kids with the latest and greatest must-have gadgets, it’s easy to see why kids constantly focus on what they don’t have instead of what they do have.
With less than a week to go before you gather around the table to count your blessings, you may be inspired to focus your children’s attention on the real reason we celebrate the holiday. To help accomplish your goal, parenting experts have come up with some ideas to foster thankful kids:
GIVE TO OTHERS
Share the wealth. That doesn’t necessarily mean donating large sums of money to charitable organizations. Rather, the key is to show your children that there are millions of other people who are less fortunate. Teach your children that by sharing their time, talent or gently used material goods they can have a huge impact on someone who has nothing. Volunteering at a local food bank, the Salvation Army or taking your dogs to a community nursing home to visit with the elderly are all activities that can help shape your children’s perspective on the world around them.
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN NEEDS AND WANTS
Spend some time in the days leading up to Thanksgiving to differentiate between a “want” and a “need” with your children. Encourage them to list “needs” (food, shelter, clothing, etc.) and “wants” (a new toy, the latest video game, hip sneakers, etc.) and point out that life as they know it will not likely end if they don’t get the items on their “want” list.
CREATE A THANKFUL LIST
Many families create “thankful lists” this time of year to remember all that they have. Whether you incorporate your list into your holiday festivities or simply hang it up somewhere in the house where it serves as a daily reminder to your kids, the goal is to make the list as long as possible.
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