Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity to instill in your kids virtues like thankfulness, compassion, gratitude, and unity. The issue is that kids frequently have an insatiable want for things and lack the responsibility to be appreciative of what they get. Only an hour after receiving her presents two years ago, my eldest daughter began tossing her toys and stomping her feet because she was sick of them. It helped me understand how important it is to educate my children of gratitude even at a young age.
Less is more
For my girls, it meant nothing at all to have so many toys that they could break in a few minutes. And even though they were presents, I told them about the less fortunate. Over the past few years, I have had my kids donate their unwanted toys to kids in shelters. I told them about the many children who don’t even have a house and the children who never get toys. I promise that when your kids witness the terrible circumstances that other children endure, they will realize how fortunate they are.
Needs versus wants
Asking younger kids to make a wish list of necessities vs desires is a fantastic way to teach them. Are 15 to 20 toys really necessary for your child’s birthday or Christmas? As parents, we are occasionally compelled to purchase every item in the store, but we must learn to limit our spending and exercise self-control before spoiling our kids. Ask your youngster to identify the things they truly desire. After that, go over the list with your child, going over everything together and talking about what they can really use or need and what they can do without. This kind of conversation will enable your children to go over the “ridiculous” demands of their desires and start a productive conversation about the subject.
Take in a family
Perhaps adopting a family for Thanksgiving is out of the question. Ask your youngster to select the clothing or toys they want to receive. Your children will be forever changed by the private discussion of your motivations and will grow to appreciate the significant change in their life.
Change-related tasks
Young children do excellently on tasks. A task table is a fun approach to help kids organize and sort out their tasks while also keeping them on track. Giving them some change is a terrific way to reward them since youngsters love to purchase things and having money allows them to do so. You have to decide what present your child wants to buy after they have worked hard to accumulate a lot of change. If they haven’t earned enough money to buy it, explain that they must keep earning more. After all, their efforts will ultimately be rewarded, and they will be quite appreciative when they get their “prize.”
An example of superhero gratitude
Almost every youngster on the planet is captivated by superheroes in one form or another. I took advantage of this occurrence as a father, which naturally benefited my daughters as well. I told them that superheroes have a lot to be thankful for and that they are not all that different from the rest of us. The primary thing they consider and value in life is helping others, something they could not do without their companions and the circumstances that endowed them with superhuman abilities. Young children may modify and adapt their conduct to be more superhero-like when you bring this aspect of superheroes into their perspective. This was evident in my girls’ eagerness to assist more with household chores, with one another, and with other children. A superhero party, complete with costumes and animation, might be a lot of fun and let your children truly experience this significant role. This year, I was considering planning it after the Thanksgiving meal.
Your kids are more likely to feel thankful if you demonstrate gratitude in your everyday life. For instance, thank your spouse for making supper, thank your family and friends for coming, and thank the kids for finishing their schoolwork. Avoid whining about other people or how you don’t have what you desire. Emphasize the value of savoring life’s small pleasures, such as the flowers in your garden or the springtime sunshine. Your children would undoubtedly learn this.
