With the festive season fast approaching, we’re reminded to be thankful for what we have and for what we can share with others.
But gratitude isn’t something we ought to save up all year and cash in just at Christmas. It’s something we can embrace every day. And although learning it won’t likely feature on many children’s Christmas wish lists, studies show it’s a gift worth investing in.
Thankfully, it’s never too early (or late) to begin, according to Stacey Tucker, of The Bodhi Tree and Stacey, a meditation and mindfulness blog for kids. She is also a mom of two and the former co-owner of Platypus Playcentre Centre.
Gratitude is something we can practice every day, she said.
It all starts with parents and caregivers.
“The modelling of gratitude, I think, is imperative,” she said and explained that a great place to start is during one-on-one interactions with children.
“When children are little and make you a cup of tea in their kitchen or ask you to shop at their grocery store, these are opportunities to express gratitude.”
Drinking the tea and simply saying, “Thank you very much,” or “This is such a fine establishment,” she explained, would be a great example of modelling gratitude.
It’s also best done in whatever way feels the most comfortable and natural, she said. It could be saying thank you to a shop assistant when leaving or thanking someone for holding open a door.
“We also live in a spectacular part of the world and it’s not difficult to be grateful for where we live, so say it out loud,” she said, adding that it can be a simple as just marvelling at the views with your family while driving in the car.
Practising gratitude can also become a regular family ritual. Finding the most appropriate time to practice depends on your family routine, she said. For some, it might be breakfast, dinner or bath time. Or just moments when you come together as a family.
“You’re looking for a regular moment that’s perfect for talking and listening. A time that works for the whole family to recall the memories everyone is grateful for.”
By talking about the highlight of everyone’s day, children are experiencing sharing, being listened to, and feeling connected to those around them.
Another fun way to practice gratitude with children, Tucker suggested, is writing out the alphabet and, for each letter, finding something they’re grateful for that starts with that letter. Or to ask them about a person, a place, and a food that they’re grateful for.
“Often being grateful is a tricky concept for children…so instead we can ask specifics.” Their answers will warm your heart, she added.
Thank you letters are, of course, a gratitude go-to worth nurturing, she explained, as the effort and thought process behind writing a letter is felt deeply by the recipient.
“It doesn’t simply have to be words,” Tucker said. If you can incorporate something the child is drawn to such as art, colour or, photography, you’re also playing to their strengths and in turn helping build their self-esteem.
Such simple acts not only make other people feel appreciated, studies show there are far-reaching benefits for the gratitude giver too, including a greater sense of connection between the giver and recipient. It may even lead to greater optimism, happiness, and satisfaction with life.
Tucker agrees. “When children are in the regular practice of gratitude they get to experience more joy because they are witness to it.”
Try sprinkling it liberally this Christmas and watch the magic begin.
