As a former career nanny and now current preschool teacher, I understand the importance of teaching children gratitude. Building a foundation of gratitude in our children from an early age can have a huge impact on their wellbeing as they grow into young adults. With Valentine’s Day coming up, there’s no better time to start teaching your kids about the power of appreciation and being thankful for what we have.
Model Gratitude Yourself
One of the best ways to teach kids gratitude is to model it yourself. Our kids are always watching and listening, so be sure to take note of how you express appreciation in everyday life — both verbally and nonverbally — and encourage your children to do the same. If you want them to say “please” and “thank you” whenever they receive something or are offered help, make sure you’re doing the same!
Get Creative with Gratitude Journals
Gratitude journals have become increasingly popular for adults as a way to track moments that bring us joy, but did you know these can also be used with children? Encourage your child to create one (or even create one together) by using fun materials like stickers, markers, photos, etc., so they’ll look forward to writing in their journals each day. Then set aside some time each day for them to write down something that made them happy that day — this can be anything from spending time with friends or family members, eating their favorite food for lunch, or having a great day at school!
Find Ways To Give Back
It’s never too early to start teaching your kids about giving back and volunteering in our communities. With so many volunteer opportunities available today, it may seem overwhelming at first but don’t worry — there are tons of easy ways that kids can help out without leaving home! Some ideas include writing letters for elderly people who may not get many visitors; creating care packages for people experiencing homelessness; donating books or toys that are no longer being used; collecting food items from neighbors or classmates; helping organize donations at local charities; cleaning up parks or public spaces; or simply offering to help out around the house more often!
Practice Random Acts Of Kindness
Practicing random acts of kindness is one of my favorite ways to show my own kids how important it is to give back — even if just in small ways every now and then. It could be as simple as paying someone else’s tab when they didn’t expect it, leaving sand toys or toys at playgrounds for other families to enjoy playing games together, or bringing donuts into work on Monday morning because everyone deserves something sweet after the weekend! These little gestures don’t take much effort but go a long way in making someone else feel seen and appreciated.
Spend Time With Loved Ones
Finally (and perhaps most importantly), spend quality time with those who are important in your life and remind your children why being grateful matters so much! Whether it’s going on an adventure together outdoors, having game night around the kitchen table each week, or just curling up on the couch with hot chocolate on a rainy day — these moments are priceless and will stick with our children far into their adulthood. Whether it is your children or your nanny children, these moments are priceless!
Teaching our children appreciation is an integral part of raising successful young adults who understand that life isn’t all about taking but also giving back whenever possible. By modeling gratitude ourselves while finding creative ways, such as starting journaling practices and engaging in random acts of kindness, we can ensure our children grow up knowing how powerful thankfulness truly is. So this Valentine’s Day, let’s focus on teaching our kids how wonderful life can be when viewed through grateful eyes – Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
