Teaching Your Child About Gratitude

May 15, 2023

As your child ages, they begin to learn skills and qualities that will help shape them into independent thinkers. During their younger developmental years is a great time for you as a parent to help them grow these qualities to be successful later in life. Because thankful people tend to be more optimistic, teaching your child about gratitude can help them grow into happier, healthier adults. 

Tips For Teaching Gratitude

At Holly Springs Pediatrics, we are here to help you as your child develops, changes, and grows into an individualistic being. Teaching your child about gratitude can be fun and certainly pays off in the long run. The following tips are a great way to start thinking about what you need to consider in your day-to-day routine. 

Teach Them To Say Thank You

One of the best ways to teach your child about gratitude is to instill in them from a young age to be appreciative of the things others do for them. The easiest way to do this is to teach your child to say “thank you.” These two words hold great significance, as being able to express gratitude is a life-long skill that will help them nourish important relationships in their future.

Lead By Example

You can tell your child to be grateful, but those words may not hold much significance to them. That’s why when teaching your child about gratitude, it is important to lead by example. Make sure you are always using your own manners and saying “thank you,” whether it be to a friend, neighbor, or stranger. Additionally, thanking your child when they help around the house also can help to teach your child about gratitude and in which settings it is important to display this positive emotion. 

Always Look For The Positive

The saying is as old as time— “Is the glass half full or half empty?”. Going through life with a “glass half full” mentality is sure to teach your child about gratitude. Yet, sometimes it is easy to get swept up in the day-to-day of life and lose perspective. Try always being conscious of how you act in certain situations, and try to always look for the positive. Say your child misses the bus. Instead of getting upset, express that although this can’t happen every day, you are grateful you get to spend the extra time with them on the drive to school. 

Work Through Envy

Jealousy is a natural emotion that nearly everyone experiences throughout their lifetime. Children often experience envy due to a lack of attention or their own insecurities. To help a child cope with jealous feelings, try to understand where their feelings are coming from, turn their attention to their strengths and help them combat the fear of not being accepted by every single person they meet. By working through feelings of envy, you are left with a more gracious and thankful child. 

Create A Gratitude Jar

If you are trying to teach your child about gratitude but seem to be falling short, creating a gratitude jar is a fun and creative way to hold you and your child accountable. All you need is a jar, some paper, and a pen to get started. At the end of every day, sit down with your child and write down one thing you are grateful for. Once you’ve listed your gratitude for the day, place it in the jar, and watch the gratitude in your child grow.

Using the tips above can help you model gratitude and instill these qualities in your child. Want to learn more about teaching your child about gratitude? Holly Springs Pediatrics is committed to providing quality care to your kids at all times on a wide array of subjects. Visit our website to schedule an appointment, or call our Holly Springs, NC pediatric office at (919) 249-4700.