Give Thanks Each Day.

Giving Thanks Each Day

Now that the weather is changing and spring is on the horizon, we give thanks for the transitioning of the seasons.  The cold winter chills remain in recent memory (monthly energy bills provide a tangible reminder), making our appreciation for the warmer season increase.  Every day is filled with blessings for which we should be grateful, but do we take the time to reflect and give proper attention and thanksgiving?

Each night at dinner, we gather around and recount our experiences of the day.  Both children and parents are expected to cite (2) examples of things occurring this day for which we are grateful.  Generic responses like “It was a beautiful day” or “I really like this meal” are not acceptable.  Everyone must identify a unique thing they did, experience or observe and give thanks.

This is a great tool to open dialogue and conversation with your children about their day.  So many times issues have come up that otherwise may have been overlooked. We, as parents, also get a greater understanding of the things our children find interesting and use these tools to enrich their lives with meaningful and relative experiences.  This also helps with our children’s (reading) comprehension.  They know they will be asked for examples each night and, therefore, pay more attention during their day.

Try it out.  It’s not a difficult task.  Be an active member of the communication, just not a facilitator. Your children, believe it or not, are just as interested in your day as you are theirs. 

Change Outcomes.