Gratitude is a powerful mindset for anyone to have. It cultivates contentment, abundance, uplifts moods, shifts perspective, and opens up more opportunities to be grateful for. Gratitude goes beyond saying that we are thankful but a belief that we truly blessed.

Teaching children about thankfulness early on helps them to be happier and appreciative, reduces feelings of envy and comparison, makes them to become more optimistic, and deepens relationships.

Here are some of the ways to instill this attitude in children.

Gift them with a gratitude journal

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There is power in writing down things. It brings words to life. Reflecting on positive experiences can add more of that in their lives.

Get them a journal from bookstores which they can deliver at your doorstep as you safely stay at home, if you can. Or have a simple unwritten notebook they can use specifically for gratitude journaling.

Creating a habit of writing down five or even more things they are grateful for every day before they go to sleep, makes for happier children.

Remind them of their blessings during difficult times

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If we want something to be unhappy about, we will find it. If we want something to be grateful for, we will always find them.

When they are sad about a thing, it is best that we acknowledge their feelings. You can also ask them what they are happy about. This could lift their vibrations.

Help them to be giving

Giving gets our minds to think that what we have is in plenty, and that it is more than enough. Volunteer with them. Help them to share items with others. Giving brings out gratitude.

Create a gratitude mantra

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Come up with a mantra with your child. The positive affirmations on this such as “I am blessed”, “I have many things to be grateful for”, “I have everything I need”, “I appreciate everything in my life”, steeps a child in a thankful mindset. Help them come up with their own too. This can become a constant point of reference to them throughout their life.

Refrain from complaining in front of them

Embody gratitude too. Talk more about what you love and less of what you dislike, especially in front of children. The little ones have huge superpowers of detecting whenever we are feeling off. It could then pass onto them.

If we complain less, we nurture the attitude of thankfulness in them.

Talk to them about gratitude

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Always make them believe that there is more than enough. Whenever we run out of an item in the house, you could say something like, “we will get it next time” instead of “we do not have it.”

Teach them to notice the things to be grateful for, explain the need to be grateful, and how to express gratitude in everyday life. Teaching a child to view the world from a perspective of appreciation and not of scarcity.

Use the words “please” and “thank you”

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When children hear the two words genuinely spoken a lot, it shows that one, respect and lack of entitlement. Therefore we can ask by using the word “please.” Two, we are grateful for what it is that we get.

Thank them too when they help out at home.

Help them to care for stuff

Teaching them to care for the things they own projects an appreciation for those things. It will impart responsibility. These two is a manifest of gratitude mindset whereas taking things for granted is not.

Read books about gratitude to your child

Children can also learn through reading. Get books which talk about thankfulness. As they interact with characters and experience different situations on gratitude through a book, it will encourage them to be thankful too.

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