Gratitude is a moral value your child will be expected to learn about as they develop their skills. It gives children the chance to learn about how they can be kind, offer ways of respecting others, and shows your child how they can learn to appreciate others. For parents, we should be equipped with the tools to show your child how they can build their understanding of thankfulness, gratitude and care.
With that in mind, in this guide from an independent school in New York, we show you how you can explore gratitude with your child.
Show your child the importance of respect
Being respectful is all about the art of expressing kindness towards others, and it gives children the chance to learn about how they can offer support in a meaningful way. To show your child what it means to be respectful, you should aim to role model respect as much as you can in front of your child. Offer them respect as you would expect them to offer you, and treat them exactly how you would like to be treated. Maintaining this will help your child understand how respect is a part of offering kindness.
Ask your child what they’re grateful for
When you’re at the table together, having something to eat or have a moment together on the bus or in the car for instance, ask your child what makes them express gratitude. If they’re unsure, give them examples to give them an idea, like for example having someone open the door for you when you were carrying a pile of boxes.
Your child may have their own examples in the form of a friend helping them understand what they need to do with their homework or a teacher telling them that they did a good job in class.
Show your child how to push away pessimism
There will be times when your child returns from school feeling deflated and maybe even upset. This is when you can have a chance to sit down with your child and see what you can do to help them with their progress. Manage the thought process with them, ask them questions about their day and get them to explain how they are feeling.
Show them the positives to each situation, and have the chance to hear them out. Venting and looking at a problem in a different way will usually express a lot of gratitude in children and make them feel more confident in their ability to handle their feelings.