by Chantal Bufe
Practicing gratitude is an essential element to leading a fulfilled and content life, and as parents, we can teach our children about gratitude, how to practice it and where to find it (in our lives and our hearts). When we continuously recognize and celebrate all the things we are lucky to have, we can live a life more prosperous than we could have imagined.
There are many ways to encourage our children to walk around with open eyes, notice, see and appreciate all the things they are lucky to have in their lives and be grateful for them. From saying 'grace' before a meal, making them earn their pocket money or any other materialistic item they may want. From teaching them kindness and the importance of being of service to others to exposing them (in an age-appropriate way) to some of the realities of this world.
I found that a beautiful way to encourage gratitude in our children is through their senses: what do you feel, see, hear, smell or taste? When you bake (and smell the delicious cookies in the oven that you made), when you skate (and feel the wind in your hair as you fly down the road), when you draw (and see what you have created with your own hands)?
There are also games and activities to playfully encourage gratitude, like a gratitude card game or a gratitude mason jar (which your child can fill daily with little notes of thanks). Our favorite is this Gratitude Scavenger Hunt by Natural Beach Living. Such a sweet and fun way to encourage our children to be thankful for what they have!
(Photo: Pro Church Media/Unsplash)