Parenting is one of the hardest jobs in the whole world.
Am I teaching enough? Am I strict enough? Do they feel loved?
One of the questions we’ve asked ourselves a lot lately, is are our kids grateful? Do they know just how blessed they are? Teaching gratefulness isn’t easy. It’s become harder with our generation of parenting, as instant gratification is everywhere. Orders come to our door in 2 days or less, we have fast food on every corner and we can google every question we have.
We’ve been making it a priority to take every opportunity we can to teach them that the way they live isn’t how everyone else in the world lives. Here are some things that have been great for us, that you might want to try with your kids.
5 Ways to Teach Kids Gratefulness at the Holidays
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Adopt a Family
We like to adopt a family through our local Christian outreach. They assign you a family and a wish list. It’s a real reality check to see the top items for the kids wish list is almost always practical. Socks, clothes and school supplies are followed by basic things like basketballs or a babydoll. It makes your kids realize that some of the things they don’t even think about being grateful for, are actually luxuries. I would encourage you to google adopt a family in your area if you’re able to give this holiday season. It’s such a rewarding experience!
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Volunteer
Our church does many outreach events throughout the year and we love participating in them. This summer, we spent time at a local food bank, stocking shelves, helping people shop and packing up food for delivery. Our church, Elevation, actually has a lot of opportunities to give to different causes and you don’t have to be local.
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Fill A Shoebox
Operation Christmas Child is such a great way to give back! Letting your kids go and pick things to fill the shoebox with really brings the giving to life. We let our boys fill boxes for kids their same age, so they pick things they like.
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Leave a Little Happy
$5 gift cards are a great way to give on a moments notice. Keep a few in your bag for someone asking for food, a clearly stressed mom in the grocery store, or even someone that’s being downright miserable! You never know what people are walking through and just how much this simple act can bless someone.
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Keep a Gratitude Journal
The holidays are a good time to start this, but it can be used year round. It’s not just good for kids either! These can be a great way to shift our focus from negative to positive things. It’s absolutely amazing what a focus shift can do in our lives!
How do you teach gratefulness to your kids? If you have any favorite ways, I’d love to share them!
I’m teaming up today for Mom talk Tuesday! Check out Maggie’s tips for picking meaningful gifts for your kids and Aubrey’s tips for surviving cold and flu season!