Thursday

2 Questions To Ask To Introduce Your Kids To Gratitude

I've developed a new exercise to keep my daughter grounded in what matters and to keep her from focusing on the negative (as far too many of us adults do). I felt I needed to do something different than lecturing her, daily, on why she should be grateful and running down the list of all the things we do as parents. It was growing tiresome and something about didn't feel right. And I wasn't certain she was even listening. What I opted to do is very simple. So simple, I didn't believe it would work:

Before bedtime, I ask her what she was thankful for during that day.
In the morning, I ask her what she is thankful for.

The first couple of days I was getting answers such as, "sleep," and "no school" but a few days in something pretty amazing began to happen. Not only did her answers suddenly become more substantial, such as, "I'm glad I had a good night's rest so I can have a good day at school," she makes a point to remind me when I don't ask her. Now, we are even having conversations around the things she's grateful for.

What are you thankful for? Think about it. What if, everyday, you had to dwell on what you are thankful for? Imagine the difference in could make in your life.

What are you thankful for?

photo credit: MTSOfan via photopin cc