Unlocking Happiness: Teaching Kids the Art of Savoring

Whether your children are studying in an international school here in the Philippines or otherwise, one of the most important things that need to be instilled in them is the practice of savoring—the manifestation of having a positive outlook towards one’s life experiences.

During these moments, the most fundamental exercise to impart to your child is to take a deep breath and pay conscious attention to her thoughts and feelings in order to savor and mentally hold on to them.

Let’s explore some of the basic techniques which your child can practice:

Appreciation for the Past

Savoring the past is one of the easiest ways to practice overall gratitude and positivity.

Encourage your child to fully express herself when something positive happens and she feels good. One of the keynotes here is to remind her to spend a few minutes reflecting on the pleasant events that have recently occurred during the past week or even the past few months.

Savoring the Present

Another way you can teach your child the art of savoring is through telling her to take a couple steps back and appreciate all the small wonders that life has to offer. This can be done by imparting to her the habit of thinking about positive emotions and accessing them by paying attention to what caused them in the first place.

An invaluable exercise for gratitude and appreciation is to let your child have time to name her blessings and give thanks for any moment or tangible thing that has made her happy. Older children may prefer to write these down in a gratitude journal before going to bed each night.

Making the Most of the Present

Keep in mind that when discussing gratitude and exploring positivity with your child, these don’t have to be ‘big’ or ‘monumental’ occurrences, she could simply wake up feeling good and tell herself that “she feels fantastic today.”

Your child can learn to make the most out of the present by showing her positive emotions with a smile or laugh. These types of physical expressions of happiness can play an integral role in prolonging these feelings.

Preparing for the Future

When people strive to accomplish a goal, some of them would work on instilling a positive outlook that would help them reach it. One could say that they are utilizing their imagination in order to cultivate their own happiness.

Does your child have an aspiration she is aiming for?

Encourage her further by reminding her to savor her ambitious thoughts and harness a strong notion of hope. Of course, this would work well combined with the efforts she puts in.

Key Takeaway

The points discussed above are some of the ideal guiding marks for harnessing an appreciative mindset. Whether your child is studying in an international school in the Philippines or not, she is in the midst of development.

Instilling a sense of gratitude through the savoring of positivity is a critical element of a child’s growth and will benefit her mental and emotional development in the long run.