8 Ways to Instill a Mindset of Gratitude in Your Child
There are a lot of different ways to raise a grateful child. There`s no chance to find out the most efficient one because people are different and everyone needs a special approach. However you can find out the basic tips that`ll definitely help you deal with this difficult task. Helping your little one cultivate gratitude on a daily basis is your responsibility. So, parents, if you want your child to thank you for everything you do to make their life better then take a look at the list of the ways to make your child feel grateful…
1 Teach them to feel and express gratitude
A child won’t figure out what you want until you say that. You should teach your child to feel and express gratitude when it`s needed. Even though you can`t make them have this feeling deep in their heart as it`s quite a personal thing, you`re always able to ask them to express it with words or deeds. Don’t expect your little one to feel gratitude overnight. It’s a long process that’s worth the effort.
2 Show the example
Your child should know that their life could be a lot worse than it`s now. Tell them about those people who have no parents or find some other way to make them realize how much they`re lucky indeed. It`ll show your child what they should be thankful for what they already have. While there`s no need to scare them with terrible examples of life situations other people have, you can still show that their life is worth living. Involve them into some charity work to show that many people struggle a lot to survive. In a word, just make them feel the difference.
3 Stop buying everything they want
It may seem cruel but it really has a huge sense. When a person always gets what they want, they gradually start taking everything for granted. Therefore, if you don`t want to let your child become disobedient, you shouldn`t buy everything they wish. Teach your child to save money and shop wisely. It’ll help prevent your child from being selfish. This is one of the easiest ways to raise a grateful child.
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4 Be a role model
Children are more likely to do what we do than what we say. That`s why if you want to create a feeling of gratitude in your child`s mind, you should be grateful yourself. Say thanks to everyone who helps you or gives you something. Show your gratitude for everything you have in your life and hopefully your child will do the same.
5 Change the ungrateful attitude
When someone tells you what to do, you want be sure that if you change nothing it`ll be much worse. Otherwise, you`ll never understand the real need of that change. It means that children should face the attitude you want them to avoid in order to realize that it hurts a lot. Next time you see a child ignoring your attempts to make them thankful, act the same way as they do to make them feel all the negativity of ungratefulness. Then have a talk and explain that if they don`t want to be treated badly, they should treat others well. It`s a great lesson you child will remember for their entire life.
6 Show the bright side of life
Have you ever thought about what makes people stay ungrateful? The answer is simple – they`re unable to acknowledge that there`s a huge number of valuable things in our life but only the one who`s aware of their existence has gratitude deep inside their heart. Gratitude is all about being positive enough to be able to see the bright side of life. If you want to have a thankful child, you should teach them to notice the things we should be thankful for. Develop their positive way of thinking by pointing out the moments that make us happier as often as possible.
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7 Discuss
Kids love discussions. The easiest way to raise a grateful child is to discuss the benefits of being thankful. You can say that you personally get a lot of positivity out of your life by being thankful and you don’t need to have a lot in order to be happier. Of course, we get the clearest understanding of everything only when we experience it but it never hurts to discuss important things with your child.
8 Let them practice
It`s a lot more useful to prevent a child from having a bad attitude in a practical way but not just with your words. When you see that they give no thanks for the new thing they`ve got, don`t ignore this fact because if you do, they`ll regard it as normal. In this case you can take the present back or forbid to use it for a set period of time. Next time you give them something your child will certainly express their gratitude.
When raising a child, we do our best to bring as much happiness as possible into their life. There are many examples of an undeservedly ungrateful attitude parents face when their children become adults. Fortunately, now you`re ready to avoid such a terrible situation in future as these tips can help make this task a bit easier. Wish you raise a nice, grateful and happy child without any problems! Do you think your child is ungrateful?