What is the first thing that jumps to mind when you hear “Thanksgiving?”
Turkey? Football? Parade? Family? Christmas? Pie? Green bean casserole? So many possibilities!
One of the big ones that comes to mind for me is “gratitude.”
When I became a parent, it was amazing to me how many things I had to teach my child (why isn’t spitting out toothpaste intuitive?). I remember the first time I tried to explain “gratitude” as being “thankful for something.” It went right over my then-two-year-old’s head! We shifted some of our phrasing to help her understand. A friend suggested asking “What made you happy today?” and that was where it really started to click. We also say “thank you” to each other and others consistently and write thank you notes (she draws or paints while I write the card, with her input). The concept still might be a little abstract, but we’re getting there!
The How
It was important to me to create a tradition in November to help my family focus on gratitude. We now have the “gratitude tree.” On November 1st, I tape a tree on the wall with brown paper. I then cut out dozens of leaves and keep them with Sharpies on the table by the tree. Before going up to bed, we stop by the tree. Each of us shares something we were grateful for that day and adds a leaf. I also ask friends and family who come into our home in November to add what they’re grateful for, too! We love watching the tree fill up throughout the month.
If a gratitude tree isn’t for you, here are some fun variations you can try!
- Make a Thanksgiving turkey and add a feather with what you’re grateful for each day; you can also just do handprint turkeys and write what you’re thankful for on there.
- Write something you’re grateful for each day on a pumpkin (here’s a link to check out pumpkin patches in the Albuquerque area).
- Get a tablecloth you’re okay writing on: it can be paper, plastic/disposable, or even a reusable one you can pull out each year! Keep markers on it for everyone to write/draw what they’re thankful for throughout the month.
- Add links to a paper chain each day with what you’re thankful for. You can use fall colors to make it part of your decor.
- If your kids are older, consider encouraging them to keep a gratitude journal for the month of November (and longer if they want!).
The Why
Focusing on gratitude in November is a great stepping stone to helping your kids understand gratitude at a deeper level. A quote attributed to author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar reads:
“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”
How true is this for when your child is learning what gratitude is? The more they understand what it means to be thankful, the more they recognize what they can be thankful for!
Whatever you decide to try, November is a great time to help your kids understand the importance of gratitude and how feeling thankful is a happy emotion.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
» » » » » » » » » » » RELATED READ: 5 Fall Albuquerque Crafts for Kids « « « « « « « « « « « « « «
