To be grateful means to appreciate all that you have. It is important to instill this ability in a child as early as childhood. Simple and very effective exercises will help in this important matter:
1. "Gifts of the Day." At any convenient moment, you should take a little time and think together with your daughter and son about all the "gifts" of the day. It can be any experiences and moments that are worth saying "thank you" for. You can also give thanks for treats, games, appointments. An interesting idea would be to start your own "Gratitude Notebook".
2. A day of kindness. Let it be a tradition one day a month with your child to do some good deeds for others - cleaning up the yard or collecting items for local charities, feeding homeless animals.
3. Memories. It is important to remember the good, good moments. Make time for such pleasant moments with a cup of aromatic tea. When remembering, emphasize how your child felt when he or she was happy.
4. "You are my best helper!". If your son and daughter periodically repeat this phrase, they will realize that their efforts are appreciated and will put in even more effort in the future.
5. "You're so thoughtful." Even if your child does chores, be sure to tell them that they are very caring and will share with others. Scientific studies have proven that children are happier if they can share something with others. And most of all they are happy with gifts that they were able to make with their own hands. Share can be a toy or a treat. And the task of parents is to make sure that this is done consciously at least once a day.
6. "How lucky we are!" Think of something you are lucky enough to have today. It could be just one day before the weekend or good weather for a walk or delicious cakes at your favorite store.
Being happy does not mean receiving material benefits. It is a special state of mind that each of us can have, regardless of the weather outside the window or the comfort of the house. Teaching a child to appreciate what they have and to be grateful is an important step towards a happy future.