November is here and as we head into the holidays, there is not a better time to stop for a minute and think about all of the things in your life in which you are grateful. With all of the hustle and bustle and “stresses” of the season, it can be challenging to choose to be thankful in the middle of the chaos of life. We challenge you this holiday season (and ultimately year-round) to wake up each morning and choose gratitude! Find the silver linings in each day, even if it’s difficult to find one. Even better, we invite you to pass on this message of gratitude to your kids!
Here are a few great ways for your family to practice giving thanks:
- Dinnertime thanks – Go around the dinner table and have each person say what they are thankful for that day. It can be little things, like a new friend, a shared snack or a good parking spot!
- Express thanks for your kids – Make sure you tell your kids how thankful you are for them. Kids need to hear those messages often.
- Simply say thanks – Say “Thank You” often. We can easily slip into bad habits with family or close personal friends. Make sure not to take those that mean most to you for granted.
- Start a gratitude journal – This is great for creating a habit of being grateful! You could even make it a family journal and document thankfulness from each family member.
- Create a thanks project – Figure out some creative ways to let your kids show what they are thankful for in their life. Ask them to draw pictures and hang them up, make a thanks chain (by stapling together paper links with phrases of thanks on them), or find another idea that allows you to have a visual reminder of what you’re thankful for.
Being thankful gives us a healthy attitude which is important for a healthy body and mind! As the holiday season arrives, so does stress. Make sure you take some time out to really give thanks!
