This
past weekend I was able to spend the majority of it outside with my children. I
am so thankful for this extended fall weather and the joy it has brought to my
kids. At this same time I pondered how I can continually teach my children to be
grateful, with the holiday season approaching. As I thought about this, I
read a few parenting articles on helping make our child be grateful and the
benefits it has on children. Three ideas stuck out to me as I read the article;
1.
A
2003 study at the University of California at Davis showed that grateful
people report higher levels of happiness and optimism -- along with lower
levels of depression and stress.
2.
Being grateful is a learned behavior
3.
We can teach our children how to be grateful
through modeling, and by having conversations about it.
As
we go into this week, a great topic for discussion is gratitude and
thankfulness. Next week is Thanksgiving and makes for a good conversation
around this topic. Teachers have taken time this week to talk with their
advisories about this topics and I encourage parents to continue this
conversation at home. For a link to the articles on being grateful,
please see my blog.
References:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/in-praise-of-gratitude
http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/behavioral/teaching-children-to-be-grateful/
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