With Thanksgiving around the corner, we
tend to show our gratitude for all the gifts life’s given us. According to a
study, when we show gratitude, we tend to be more optimistic in life, and tend
to concentrate on all things positive. That’s a great feeling, isn’t it? So,
why not have this optimism going all year long? Here’s how you can help your
kids stay thankful and optimistic year long.
Don’t let kids take things for granted
We have a tradition in our family. For
all birthdays and Holiday eves, we visit either an orphanage or an old age home
or arrange food for the homeless in homeless shelters. It really brings in a
perspective for the kids. When kids see what they have and others don’t, they know the value of basic things
like home, food, family and love. Kids also learn the importance of sharing.
Let kids evolve at their pace
Kids need to learn to be naturally
good. They are bound to make mistakes, feel angry and loathsome, let them. If
you have a positive aura in the house, they will eventually find a way to turn
around. It is their journey. You need to give them the space and time to do it
at their pace. Let them evolve themselves. If they do something wrong, just let
them it’s wrong and tell them why. Do not punish, impose ‘sorry’ or force them
into making it right.
Model gratitude
In the daily grind of life, we tend to
lose perspective in life. We get exhausted, angry and frustrated. We all do.
And then, when we interact with our kids, we tend to put on the smiley masks
and try and teach them virtues like love, kindness, gratitude and so on. Unfortunately,
kids see though us. They reflect what they see. And then, when we see our
children getting arrogant and brash, we wonder what went wrong. If we really
want to raise our kids to be thankful and kind, we will have to learn to
forgive and forget ourselves. We need to genuinely start being thankful in our
lives for even the smallest of gifts life gives us, kids will follow suit.
Don’t wait for an occasion
Don’t wait to Thanksgiving to be
thankful, don’t wait for Christmas to meet up with your loved ones, don’t wait
for birthdays to call up, don’t wait for New Years to resolve something good,
just do it the very moment you can.
Spend quality time as family
Designate a day a month when the whole
family would do something fun together like a family picnic or a trek together
or going to a game or just spending the evening in the backyard with barbeque.
Whatever you choose to do should be fun and something that all look forward to.
You’ll actively and passively pass on so many values during this bonding time,
that your children will remember for life.
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