5 Ways Your Kids Can Practice Gratitude this Season

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The holidays are a wonderful time of year; filled with magical moments, tasty treats, and indulgence. It’s also a perfect time of year to teach your kids about the meaning of giving and gratitude. The excitement of the holidays can sometimes turn kids into little monsters wanting more and more presents. It’s easy to slip into spoiling your kiddos (admit it, we’ve all done it!)

Today, we’re sharing 5 Ways Your Kids Can Practice Gratitude this Season. Bring back the reason for the season, and use these tips to remind your kiddos to be grateful this holiday.

Check out our 5 Gratitude Tips below!

Write Thank-You Notes

Nothing beats a good-ole-fashioned thank you note. While the world is going digital, a handwritten thank you note means even more. Have your kids take the time to write a thank you note or draw a picture for each person who took the time to give them a present. It will remind them to really appreciate each gift and the time it took for that person to select the present, pay for it, wrap it, and deliver it.

Gift Limits

Talk to your kids about limiting presents at Christmas time. By simply talking to them, you can set their expectations to a reasonable level without sounding like the Grinch. Help them understand what to expect during the holidays. If you don’t address expectations, their imaginations may have them expecting to wake up to gifts galore like the Christmas morning scene from A Little Princess. This can lead to disappointment and fits on Christmas morning. Instead, let your kiddos know you’re spending a certain amount on each person this year (plus the surprises Santa brings) and that’s it. They’ll be excited and grateful for what they do receive.

Focus on Gratitude

This year, my family and I decided to focus on being grateful throughout the holidays. Being grateful for all the little things around the holidays like snowflakes, time off school and work, family, friends, etc. In emphasizing gratitude, we’re deemphasizing the insatiable feelings of wanting more and more. To help track our gratitude, each family member shares feelings of gratitude each day. Simple, easy, effective!

Charity Volunteer

Add a tradition of charity to your holiday routine. By engaging in opportunities for your kids to directly give back and help others, you are teaching your kids to live in a grateful manner. Getting involved is easy! Make a list of your passions and find ways to use those to give back. Passionate about animal welfare? Take the family to the local shelter to help out. Maybe you’d like to help the homeless have warm winter clothes? Great! Join a clothing drive or start one of your own. There are numerous ways to give back this holiday season.

Donate

Once all the presents are opened, have your kids go through their older, used clothes and toys and see if there’s anything they would be willing to donate to needy children. Allowing kids to give back after they just received new presents will help them cherish and appreciate their gifts even more. It will also help them share the feeling of happiness opening presents to kids who may not have received a gift this year.

We hope this list of 5 Ways Your Kids Can Practice Gratitude this Season helps you navigate the holidays. It’s not easy being a parent; we’re right there with you. That’s why we love sharing insightful tips each week to make your job easier!

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