Want to instill a little gratitude in your child this Thanksgiving?

While teaching your child to say “thank you” is of the utmost important, instilling actual gratitude in them is a whole other matter entirely. True gratitude isn’t just about good manners, it is a real sense of thankfulness. Studies have shown that children who regularly give thanks have better attitudes in school and get more satisfaction out of life. Thanksgiving is a perfect time to encourage your kids to be grateful, and our preschool in Fremont has come up with these tips to help:

#1. Lead by example.

Kids learn a lot from their parents, so if you want them to be grateful for what they have, show them that you are grateful for what you have! Not only should you demonstrate your thankfulness for items, like your car, home, etc., you should show your kids that you are grateful for them!

#2. Take some time to give thanks.

Many families will go around the table and say what they are thankful for on Thanksgiving, but you can do this every day or every week to help your children become more grateful for what they have. Take some time to talk about your day, and give everyone in your family an opportunity to express their thanks.

#3. Avoid giving your child too much stuff.

We all want to shower our kids with gifts, but if you do this too often, your kids will start to believe that they are somehow owed a bunch of stuff. Getting too much new stuff can also dilute their respect for the stuff that they already have. Limit the gifts you give your kids, and when you do give them gifts, give your kids and opportunity to earn them.