Every year, it seems like the holiday season gets earlier and earlier. The stores are full of decorations in October, and there is a Christmas song playing on every radio station by Thanksgiving. By December 25th, many children have already received their presents from Santa Claus.
This can leave kids feeling ungrateful for all that they have had to enjoy this holiday season! Simple Ways to Teach Gratitude to Children at Christmastime will teach you how to help your child feel more grateful during the holidays, so they don’t forget what’s important!
Ask What They are Going to Give
It’s so easy to ask because we were all asked the same question: “What do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?”.
And as fun (or scary) as it is to climb onto the big man’s bright red lap and relay to him the wish list, try to shift the focus to what your child is goi going to give for Christmas.
Gifts from young children don’t even need to cost money. The best skills they can provide come from their hearts and artistic hands.
Instead of making a wish list, help them make a give list. As they list the people they love, help them think of acts of service they can do for those people. To give this year.
At the end of each day, take time to ask your child what they did for that person. The thoughtfulness and generosity will make them feel so good about themselves!
And you can be happy too because you’ve done something enjoyable with your child this holiday season. Simple Ways to Teach Gratitude to Children at Christmastime is a great way for kids of all ages to remember how grateful they are during Christmas and any other time of year as well!
Identify the Joy of Giving
Preschoolers are still identifying the emotions that they feel. You can help them remember that warm glowing feeling they get when they give something by naming it joy.
As they create or pick out gifts for family and friends, help them feel excited as they anticipate how the person will feel as they open the present.
As parents, we can also model gratitude in daily conversation. “Someone helped me put my cart away while I loaded the kids in the car today.
That made me feel so grateful.” Or, “Someone dropped these cookies off on our front steps. How does that make you feel?”.
Try spending a few minutes every dinner or tuck-in time discussing things you are grateful for that day. Simple Ways to Teach Gratitude to Children at Christmastime can help kids retain their joy and true spirit of the holidays.
– Simple Ways to Teach Gratitude to Children at Christmastime
Every year, it seems like the holiday season gets earlier and earlier. The stores are full of decorations in October, and there is a Christmas song playing on every radio station by Thanksgiving.
By December 25th, many children have already received their presents from Santa Claus. This can leave kids feeling ungrateful for all that they have had to enjoy this holiday season!
Simple Ways to Teach Gratitude to Children at Christmastime will teach you how to help your child feel more grateful during the holidays, so they don’t forget what’s important!
Share What They Have
Sometimes it’s hard to provide our children with the opportunity to see those less fortunate than themselves.
As a parent, you need to be the judge of what is appropriate for them to see. But for a child, seeing someone who has less than herself can be a game-changer forgiving.
“In with the new and out with the old” can bless the lives of others. As they receive new toys for the holidays, help them pick old ones they can donate.
Talk about where it is going. If they’ve seen other children who have less, they will have a better idea of who will be playing with their toys, which can bring them joy.
During the holiday season, opportunities to give are all around us. For example, you can find a Sub 4 Santa or Giving Tree.
Have your child help you do the shopping and wrapping. At UDA Creative Arts Preschool, we do Project Sleep Tight in the winter.
Children will donate a blanket, book, and stuffed animal for a child who is displaced from their home.
Thank You!
Having a gratitude attitude begins with saying “Thank you”. As your child opens presents this season, help them remember those polite little words.
Some families choose to open presents one at a time so the giver and the receiver can enjoy the moment and thank you’s (and great big hugs) can be given.
You can also have your child write or draw thank you notes for the gifts they’ve received. Even if they dictate, verbalizing their gratitude helps them recognize what they are given and how it makes them feel.
In November, we teach gratitude as our monthly character trait. We hope you can also help them identify gratitude through the holiday season.
Nothing brings us more joy than seeing our preschoolers find the pleasure of sharing and giving. See the fun we are having at UDA Creative Arts Preschool by scheduling a tour of our Draper, Utah facility by calling 801-523-5930.
Conclusion:
Simple Ways to Teach Gratitude to Children at Christmastime will teach you how to help your child feel more grateful during the holidays, so they don’t forget what’s important!
