2022 Education magazine

2022 Education Magazine LINCOLN DAILY NEWS February / March 2022 Page 49 T rying to raise a grateful child during the age of instant gratification can be challenging. But as difficult as it may appear, it’s possible to help your children nurture their sense of gratitude. This article explores why gratitude matters and gives you simple activities, games, and exercises that can help your child develop an attitude of gratitude every day. Why Is It Important to Teach Children Gratitude? Why teach your child to be thankful? First, think of the mental health benefits. Gratitude can make your child happier. “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships,” according to Harvard Medical School experts. Gratitude can also help boost your child’s physical health. In a study, psychologists asked participants to write a few sentences a week. One group wrote about what they were grateful for that week. A second group was told to write about daily irritations. And finally, a third group was asked to write a few sentences without any positive or negative emphasis. After 10 weeks, those who focused on gratitude were more optimistic, felt better about their lives, and even exercised more— with fewer doctor’s visits than those who focused on what irritated them. To practice gratitude for others, children must put themselves in the shoes of others by thinking about what they could be feeling. These are complex social-emotional skills— ones that children tend to develop around ages 3 to 5, making this the perfect age to introduce gratitude into their lives. How to Help Children Learn Gratitude There are plenty of ways you can instill gratitude in your children. One method is simply by modeling gratitude in your own life. Your children watch and learn from your own actions. Here are some other ways can help your child see how you express gratitude (from PBS for Parents): • At bedtime, tell your child what you are thankful for and ask them to come up with a few ideas of their own. Try to think of new things each night. Expressing gratitude helps your child learn to look for the good in their daily lives (as shown in the “Thankful Thinking” activity included in this resource). • Lead by example! Children imitate adult behavior, so make an effort to say “thank you” in your daily interactions. You can also practice saying “please” and “thank you” with your child while you play with a favorite toy or stuffed animal. Teaching politeness and graditude at home Continued p