I was at the gym yesterday when I glanced down through the glass windows towards the swimming pool and saw a lady in a wheelchair (in her swimsuit) by the pool. She only had one leg and a stump (to her knee). Being the curious person that I am, I kept looking down to see what she was doing. A member of the gym brought a special seat to the pools edge. She got up from her wheelchair and hopped to the special seat and then they lowered her into the water. She spent five minutes warming up by stretching her arms in a breast stroke motion. She then grabbed a flat floater from the edge of the pool, held it in front of her and started swimming. I was amazed. To watch this lady, so determined. It filled me with a sense of gratitude. It’s so easy in life to look at everything going wrong, to focus on the negative when in fact we have so much to be grateful for. Here was a lady who wasn’t physically complete and yet was swimming laps in the pool, just as I would. Her determination and courage touched me.
When I came home I did a little research about ways we can teach our children to be grateful and why it is so important to do so. So here it goes:
1. Every night when reading your child a book and tucking them into bed, ask them to tell you three things that went well for them that day or three things that made them happy.
2. Stick little notes around the house and their room reminding them of things they have to be grateful for.
3. Have a family gratitude list on the fridge where each family member can write what they are grateful for and inspire other members of their family.
4. Go around the table at dinner time and have each family member say one thing they are grateful for in that moment.
Why is it so important?
1. It def. leads to better attitudes. When they’re focusing on the good you don’t have time to develop a negative attitude.
2. You can develop closer and greater relationships.
3. Your children will have greater energy and enthusiasm.
4. They can have more empathy towards people in difficult situations as they realise how much they have to be grateful for.
Here’s a great youtube video: Dr. Christine Carter of the Greater Good Science Centre, talking about teaching your kids how to be grateful and the relationship between gratitude and happiness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHjwurV1j38
What do you have to be grateful for today?
Great tips! Such an important quality to foster. I love your fridge list idea!
Thanks 🙂
these are good ideas. I especially like the end of day one.
Thanks 🙂 That’s my favourite too. S is a bit young for that but I do try and ask him about his day and then point out the fun things he’s done that have made him happy or that he enjoyed x
Having a gratitude list is the foundation of a lot of happiness programmes and it definitely works for me. I list my top 3 things to be happy about or grateful for every night and it sets me up well by bringing a positive close to the day – even if it hasn’t been all positive! Great post. #happyquacks
Thanks Michelle 🙂 To be honest I used to do that a lot more but it’s taken a back seat recently. Although I am grateful for all I have, I definitely need to make a habit of actual writing it or acknowledging it every evening x
What a wonderful post, encouraging children to be grateful is a wonderful thing, I think sometimes we all forget how grateful we should be with our lives, we could be so much worse off. #happyquacks
I totally agree and that’s what it’s about…being reminded. We’re all grateful for the most part but we just often forget x
I absolutely love this! I used to do a daily gratitude exercise and this echoes that. I did the same exercise for my 30th. I’ll definitely be implementing this around our house – I want Arjun to always be mindful of how lucky he is and that not everyone is and to be grateful always. Thanks for some fab tips x
Implementing it around the house is such a good idea. When I was growing up (actually around the age of 19/20), my dad put these framed messages of positivity up along our staircase wall and it was brilliant because you really couldn’t escape it!! 🙂 xx
This is fab MamaDuck. Boy am I pleased to connect with you. I write a weekly post called #TheGratitudeDiaries and your post resinates in my mind. I have so much to be gratefull for.
Angela xx
Angela recently posted, ” Gratitude Diaries Week 2″ http://wp.me/p5XRN6-1GH
Thanks Angela 🙂 Happy to connect with you too…I’ll pop over and have a look at your Gratitude Diary…great idea!! xx
I love these ideas! I’m a big fan of teaching children gratitude. Best of luck with your wonderful new linky! #happyquacks
Thanks so much Becky xx
Great tips. It’s important to be thankful for the small things. There is positive and negative in everyone’s lives, it’s our attitude and how we choose to view them that determine whether we are happy. Thanks for hosting #happyquacks
Debbie
http://www.myrandommusings.blogspot.com
Thanks Debbie, I totally agree. There’s a saying: It’s not what happens to us but our reaction to it that matters.” It’s of course easier said than done but I find being grateful (and acknowledging all that we have) helps us react to things in a calmer way. Thanks for linking in xx
Excellent idea! Focus on what you do have instead of what you don’t. Thank you for hosting #happyquacks and lovely to meet you!
Lovely to meet you too 🙂 Thanks for linking up to #happyquacks
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