In today’s world, parents are very familiar with these phrases: “I want…,” “Can I have…,” and “Why can’t I….” Oftentimes, they would be hearing these from their children, who have been accused of being over-entitled.
Unfortunately, the number of these kids is increasing, and their parents are enabling them to grow as such. Responsible parenting, however, is all about raising them to be grateful instead, which is why it’s only natural for you to ask, “How can I raise them to be more grateful and contented with what they have?”
Though the best international schools in the Philippines have been a great help to parents in teaching their children the beauty of appreciativeness, society today has been one of the greatest factors in making children feel entitled to have it all. As a result, they fail to see the good in being grateful.
Fortunately, you could guide them on the right path. You could teach them how to be selfless and how to be appreciative individuals from here on. Here’s how:
1. Make Gratitude a Routine at Home
Encouraging your children to use polite language inside, as well as outside, your house would greatly help in establishing a routine that could eventually turn into their natural behavior. Motivating them to always say “please” and “thank you” is one way of doing it. Practicing this could essentially make them happier. This is backed by a Harvard research, which states that grateful people turn out to be really cheerful. This is because the kindness they show generates a positive feeling within them.
2. Set an Example for Your Children
The best way to have your children learn what it means to be grateful is by setting an example. As a parent, you could show your children how to be a thankful person by simply being sincere and humble. For instance, saying a simple “thank you” to people who help you during the day would be a nice start. You could even show gratitude to the random people you meet every day. By doing so, your children will see this and could follow your example.
3. Give and Volunteer
While volunteering for charity and relief works may not be a regular activity, being able to find time for it would be an eye-opening and emotionally rewarding experience. These charity works would help your children see that there are people that need help, and are content with the things that they have. For most children, this would be a very humbling experience that would make them more aware of their privileges and become more grateful for them.
4. Make Your Children See the Silver Lining in Every Situation
Letting your kids see the best in every situation is one of the best things that you can teach them. This will not only make them be grateful but will also aid them to see the beauty of every circumstance – no matter how good or bad it is.
For instance, when your trip to the mall gets canceled because of some heavy rains, you can easily say, ‘At least we can stay in and watch our favorite movie together!’ Always make sure that you tell and explain to your kids the lessons and blessings in every situation. It would be a great exercise to have them tell you what the silver lining is for them.
5. Getting by Without Luxury (For a Week)
Children today are very much used to having and getting all the things that they want and need in an instant. For example, they get to have the latest toys and video games or have their food delivered within minutes. To help make sure that your children are grateful for these niceties that they receive, you can challenge them by living without the luxury for some period of time.
For example, you can tell your children to lay off social media or video games for five days or not go out to fast food and restaurants for the weekend. This is a good lesson for your children to help them be aware of how blessed they are and how they can help other people, who do not have these luxuries.
Key Takeaway
While raising grateful children is a challenging task, especially in this day and age, it is possible through trying these various ways which help your kids feel humbler and more thankful for all that they have received.