I am SO LUCKY!

The research behind gratitude

A study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that gratitude in young children could help them grow up to be happier people.

According to a study published in the Journal of School Psychology, grateful children more optimistic, and have better social support. They also report more satisfaction with their schools, families, communities, friends, and themselves.

Grateful children also tend to give more social support to others as well.

It’s true that much of the gratitude research focuses on adults, but the benefits of gratitude are numerous for everyone.

Another study linked gratitude to everything from improved psychological well-being to better physical health. Grateful children tend to sleep better and even live longer.

Additionally, the study found that people who were grateful for things that happened to them in the past, felt happier in the present and more hopeful about their future.

So clearly there are a lot of good reasons to help kids experience and express gratitude.

Here are a few strategies that can help your kids feel more grateful.

Encourage your child to say “Thank you”

Encourage your child to say “Thank you” on a regular basis. Offer gentle reminders like, “Your brother let you go first. What should you say to him?” or “What do you say to Grandma for giving you an apple?”

Ask Gratitude Questions

Once your child remembers to say “thank you” on a regular basis, it can be time to dig a little deeper to ensure that they aren’t just going through the socially-prescribed motions of saying “Thank you.” Start having conversations about what it means to be thankful, and take their understanding of gratitude to a whole new level by incorporating more gratitude components.

Perform Acts of Kindness

There are many things your child can do to show appreciation for other people. This might involve returning a favor, like loaning a toy to a friend who is kind.

Or it could involve an act of service like doing yard work for a relative who attends their basketball games.

Make it clear that there are many ways to show people that you’re grateful for all they do.

Model Gratitude

A 2016 study published in Applied Developmental Science found that grateful parents tend to raise grateful children.

Here are several ways you can model gratitude for your children:

Say “Thank you.” Whether you thank the clerk at the store or you thank your child for clearing the table, make sure you’re thanking people often.
Talk about gratitude. Make it a point to share what you’re grateful for. Even when you have a rough day or something bad happens, point out that there’s still a lot to feel grateful for. Instead of complaining about the rain, talk about being grateful that the plants are being watered so you’ll have food to eat.
Express gratitude. When your child sees you writing “thank you” notes or sending a token of appreciation to someone, you’ll teach them to do the same.