An Attitude of Gratitude...
The other day in my office as a child was waiting for his mom to pick him up. I told him how grateful I was that we spend the last few minutes of our day together. He looked at a toy in my office and then he looked at me and said, "Can I have this toy?" I said, "You are grateful for that awesome toy. We are both grateful for something in our lives" and he said, "Ok, can I still have this toy?" As we teach children the true meaning of the word children may mention a toy and I understand. I was grateful for his honesty and his commitment to the toy. I probably even laughed a little. As we use the word on a more regular basis children's understanding of the word grows as do their thoughts.
Have you ever packed your child a special lunch or bought them an awesome new book and they say "I don't like that" or "I don't want that!" We have all seen this behavior when we celebrate holidays or birthdays when our children receive a gift they don't like, but I am talking about the every day small incidents. How do help our children find their gratitude and what is so important about this attitude?
If we can find our gratitude in life's every day moments we can use this in our approach to handle the more difficult times. Life is composed of many experiences some more challenging than others. We handle them to the best of our abilities. As adults when life gets difficult we can't get in bed and sleep all day or go to our job and complain all day. Well we can, but it's not the healthiest option and our co-workers don't love this!
We are challenged to help our children establish good patterns to support their own well being. Children's exposure to gratitude is an asset to a healthy lifestyle. We can examine our role as parents, teachers and friends in how we support this in children. We can teach the meaning of the word by using it in sentences, recognizing it in our lives and talking about it with children. We can greet them in the morning and say, "Good morning, I am so grateful to be here today. I am grateful to share this day with you. I am grateful for paint, or hands that have the ability to paint." Throughout the day we can use the word in a sentence and then occasionally comment to our children, "I wonder what you are grateful for today." They will surprise you with their responses! Their gratitude can be so large and their answers so unique! If we spend a few minutes a day focusing on this word we can instill an attitude of gratitude to help children be appreciative and thankful. Who knows we may help ourselves as well!
Each day I wake up with a giant hurdle in my life. I put it in my pocket and move through my day with the most gratitude I can muster, each day slightly different. I am grateful to wake up, I am grateful to drink a nice cup of coffee and look out the window at my beautiful lake view as I type this blog. My list can go on but you get the point. The hurdle is still there but when I handle this obstacle with grace, strength and gratitude I am able to live a happier day. I decide how heavy my pocket will be each day.
I often reflect and think am I grateful because my parents told me to be grateful? Am I grateful because I was inherently born with this attitude? Am I grateful because life's experiences have taught me to be this way? I imagine it is all of these combined that helped define my attitude of today. As we help children read, write and handle life's responsibilities (get your back pack, get your shoes on, brush your teeth put your dish in the sink) we can also focus on the practice of a good attitude.
As you move through your day share something with your child that you are grateful for in your life. Sometime in the day encourage them to wonder about their own gratitude.
Our attitude is with us all day, every day. What attitude do you want to have in your heart, mind and soul? How heavy is your pocket?
Grateful for friends, and shadows and our outside air!
Have you ever packed your child a special lunch or bought them an awesome new book and they say "I don't like that" or "I don't want that!" We have all seen this behavior when we celebrate holidays or birthdays when our children receive a gift they don't like, but I am talking about the every day small incidents. How do help our children find their gratitude and what is so important about this attitude?
If we can find our gratitude in life's every day moments we can use this in our approach to handle the more difficult times. Life is composed of many experiences some more challenging than others. We handle them to the best of our abilities. As adults when life gets difficult we can't get in bed and sleep all day or go to our job and complain all day. Well we can, but it's not the healthiest option and our co-workers don't love this!
We are challenged to help our children establish good patterns to support their own well being. Children's exposure to gratitude is an asset to a healthy lifestyle. We can examine our role as parents, teachers and friends in how we support this in children. We can teach the meaning of the word by using it in sentences, recognizing it in our lives and talking about it with children. We can greet them in the morning and say, "Good morning, I am so grateful to be here today. I am grateful to share this day with you. I am grateful for paint, or hands that have the ability to paint." Throughout the day we can use the word in a sentence and then occasionally comment to our children, "I wonder what you are grateful for today." They will surprise you with their responses! Their gratitude can be so large and their answers so unique! If we spend a few minutes a day focusing on this word we can instill an attitude of gratitude to help children be appreciative and thankful. Who knows we may help ourselves as well!
Each day I wake up with a giant hurdle in my life. I put it in my pocket and move through my day with the most gratitude I can muster, each day slightly different. I am grateful to wake up, I am grateful to drink a nice cup of coffee and look out the window at my beautiful lake view as I type this blog. My list can go on but you get the point. The hurdle is still there but when I handle this obstacle with grace, strength and gratitude I am able to live a happier day. I decide how heavy my pocket will be each day.
I often reflect and think am I grateful because my parents told me to be grateful? Am I grateful because I was inherently born with this attitude? Am I grateful because life's experiences have taught me to be this way? I imagine it is all of these combined that helped define my attitude of today. As we help children read, write and handle life's responsibilities (get your back pack, get your shoes on, brush your teeth put your dish in the sink) we can also focus on the practice of a good attitude.
As you move through your day share something with your child that you are grateful for in your life. Sometime in the day encourage them to wonder about their own gratitude.
Our attitude is with us all day, every day. What attitude do you want to have in your heart, mind and soul? How heavy is your pocket?
Grateful for friends, and shadows and our outside air!
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