How to raise grateful kids

How to rase grateful kids: great simple tips!

With Christmas around he corner I ask myself if my children will appreciate their gifts or will they ask for more and more, and cry because Santa brought the wrong doll? I’m always scared of spoiling my children, because I belive that being spoiled, ungrateful and unappreciative actually makes kids unhappy, unsatisfied and unsensitive.

I know, that probably thy will ask for more sweets, they are kids after all! But I really hope that I managed to install the sense of gratitude in my daughters (or at least in my older one).

Here are my tips for tuning it down a little. I’m not saying everyone needs those, but if you feel that it’s just too much gifts, and if you see that your kids start to be unappreciative, here’s what I do:

1. Clean the playroom, and fill a donation box before Christmas/birthday.
I try to put in the box not only broken, or cheap toys, but really everything that they don’t play with. ( the same goes for my closet, because you know, modelling good behaviour is always best)

2. One-gift-per-kid-from-parents rule.
Because I know my kids will get gifts from family members, I got them one educative gift each, that’s it.

3. Hide some gifts and give them later.
If your child got too many gifts at once (and is young enough not to notice) just hide some and give them within next couple of months for good behaviour, after doctors visit, or while you’re sick and tired and in need of a break!

4. Give your kids activity gifts.
Instead of toys, you could get them zoo passes, movie tickets, or museum passes! A day of fun is just as good as a toy, if not better!

5. Encourage your kids to make or buy gifts for closest family members.
I guess that we all want to show to our kids the joy of giving, so helping them preparing something is really the best we can do! They can help you prepare the cookie in a jar mix, they can make cookies with you or prepare clay ornaments. Or, if you don’t have time to make DIY gift with them, you can simply ask them to draw a Christmas card for each member of the family!

6. Help your children name what they are grateful for!
The best way to help your kids feel happy and appreciative, is to help them name what are their grateful for/ what makes them happy/ what are their blessings . It’s a great way to finish a day, while cuddling in bed, and naming what we are grateful for (for mommy as well: the felling of gratitude decreases stress, so let’s make it a habit, for our kids and ourselves as too!)

And what are your tips for raising grateful kids?

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