Just look deep down within your hearts, and you will witness a small, innocent emotion called Gratitude, hiding there. Carry it all the way up to your palms, lips, and eyes to thank everyone around who has been the reason for your existence in this world.
When you are aware of the purpose, you would automatically pay your thanks for the opportunity. Amidst an environment where every individual is surrounded by instant gratification and constant stimulation, there is one magical word that can alter your entire emotional existence. That special word is nothing but Gratitude.
Showing gratitude is not just a polite habit, but a secret gesture, an inherent superpower that inspires optimism in an individual, especially in little children. This habit is so powerful that it can develop resilience and nurture emotional intelligence in children with minimal effort.
If you also want your children to carry the attitude of gratitude gracefully, then you will have to sow the seeds of thankfulness early on to help their inner garden (soul) be rooted in joy, compassion, and strength.
Consciously appreciating the good things (and people) in your life helps you nurture the purest emotion of gratitude. Developing this innate skill can eventually transform your vision of this world. If you parent a child aged 1 to 6, it is mandatory to teach them this powerful emotional tool. Teaching them this simple yet powerful tool results in shaping their inner personality, balanced emotions, and the right attitude for interactions.
Even while birds can fly high, they still keep themselves grounded beyond their achievements and abilities. Similarly, teaching the importance of gratitude to kids helps them stay grounded with positivity beyond their skills and talents. When parents or teachers at school instill this great habit during early childhood development years, they are actually raising well-mannered children. These children would later on cultivate emotional resilience and polite behavior as they mature.
Let’s understand why gratitude matters the most with a simple example:
Emma is the mother of a 3-year-old baby. She wakes her baby every morning with a “thankfulness cuddle,” a cuddle that the baby loves and is used to.
Each of Emma’s hugs includes three things that her child is always happy about. Later on, Emma notices a shift in the baby’s behavior. Now her child is calmer, more patient, and stays more cheerful. The baby has developed its inner strength and has learnt its way to better handling disappointments and rejections. Emma’s baby is an ideal child that every parent would dream of having.
That’s the pure magic of teaching gratitude to toddlers when you can.
In this era of technological advancement, we are not used to accepting things at face value. What we insist upon having is scientific evidence and rock-solid proof to support it. Modern neuroscience confirms and concludes that gratitude and brain development in children are closely associated and deeply connected.
Hence, regularly practicing the attitude of gratitude activates specific regions in the brain. These regions are associated with empathy, emotional regulation, and long-term happiness. Following this routine helps rewire your child’s mind (mental approach) to identify what is good in any situation or scenario, rather than the bad dwelling in it.
The emotional benefits of gratitude for kids extend far beyond a simple “thank you note.” Research has shown that grateful children develop better relationships, have enhanced self-esteem, and build adaptive coping skills during tough times.
These children never become vulnerable; instead, they build resilience to face and fight the impediments that set them apart from other children.
In fact, research published in the Journal of School Psychology emphasizes that developing the emotion of gratitude in early childhood becomes the reason for lower stress levels, better social interactions, and improved overall well-being. The earlier your child begins, the greater the impact that will accompany him lifelong.
A proven fact: Early habits in childhood become the default mindset in adulthood.
Now that we have understood the science and logic behind developing gratitude in children, the question hovering is how parents will instill this great habit in their children. The answer is simple. The best way to instill gratitude is through fun-filled activities that require children to repeat what they have learnt. Children mostly are carefree and light-hearted, so they never take life and its challenges seriously; so the fun way is the best.
Here are some joyful gratitude activities for preschoolers and toddlers:
Do you know how beautiful this emotion of being grateful is? When someone in the family begins demonstrating their gratitude for what they have received, others automatically adopt the same attitude and pattern of thankfulness. When you have children around, watching their elders be so gentle and polite, they begin inheriting this great family culture of gratitude. Hence, it is more than necessary to have gratitude habits at home.
Adults must ensure to incorporate thankfulness in their responses, big or small, to let their daily routines echo the same philosophy within and outside the family.
Perfume delivers fragrance to your body, but being grateful adds fragrance to your character, soul, and individuality.
Related Blog: Bonding Parent-Child Connections Through Quality Time
You find a concept difficult only because you don’t understand it correctly. This is equally true in teaching gratitude to children. During one of our parents' teachers' meetings, most parents shared their concerns about “How to teach gratitude to young children when they don’t even understand what it means?” It feels like we are forcing it on our kids when it should feel smooth and natural.
This is a hard truth that many parents face. While the biggest challenges in parenting toddlers are to define the limitations and manage expectations, it is equally essential to understand that gratitude cannot be developed overnight. The process of cultivating this habit is slow, but you can achieve it with love, patience, and empathy.
Here are a few tips:
While teaching gratitude is an uphill task, always remember to be consistent in your efforts while encouraging gratitude in preschoolers.
Seeds planted today will bear fruit tomorrow; nurture them with care, love, and compassion.
When an emotion or a habit gets ingrained into your individuality and becomes your second nature, it becomes inseparable and stays with you for a lifetime. Similarly, when your child learns to be grateful for things he has received, he becomes emotionally strong and transforms into an individual that society looks up to.
Because gratitude and resilience in kids are closely associated, children with inner strength and an emotionally balanced mindset remain grateful for all the blessings life has bestowed upon them. It is quite common for grateful children to look for silver linings even in things that go wrong and are not worthwhile.
This unique frame of mind is actually the outcome of hard efforts invested in raising optimistic children. These children are warriors in the true sense. They trust their ability to overcome challenges. Whether it’s a lost toy or a missed playdate, children who practice gratitude bounce back faster than their peers.
The other day, we came across James and Olivia:
They are parents to one of our students at Bloom Learning Center. The sparkle in their eyes and pride in their voice were very much visible when they shared their memorable experience with our educators. In their view, daily gratitude games helped their son handle preschool transitions with less anxiety. Our son tells us, ‘I am happy that I made one new friend today,’ but the fact is that he misses his old friends.”
The benefits of gratitude in child development are immense. You get to parent a child who adapts, endures, and blossoms even under pressure.
Children who believe in the power of gratitude never complain, “Why me?” because they always seek, “Why not me?” when faced with obstacles.
You don’t need grand gestures to raise a grateful child. Just set a daily intention. Begin with small acts: one thank-you each day, one grateful hug, one grateful moment at bedtime.
The Internet is packed with information. Search for free tools like Gratitude Journal for Kids or a downloadable “Gratitude Checklist for Young Kids.” They will make your child’s life easier. These small steps help parents turn intentions into habits.
The best gratitude parenting tips are simple:
Developing the attitude of thankfulness requires teamwork. With your child by your side, start by building a lifelong gratitude habit. These powerful habit will empower your child to live with joy, courage, kindness, and resilience.
He is today the child of your dreams, but he will have the strength to live his dreams tomorrow.
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and transforms everyday moments into miracles.” – Anonymous.
