Be Grateful!

As children grow older and reach cognitive and emotional maturity some values as honesty, self-esteem, gratitude, and justice are more clearly understood. These values can and must be learned since the early stages. Contrary to what you might think this is not done through lecturing or long discussion, but with small conversations, actions and examples set by the parents.

The transmission of values does not happen overnight, but are assimilated by way of example and identification. It’s up to parents to be careful not to require or demand from the child something she has never had contact with.

Teaching a child to be grateful is easier than you think. When children are small is normal that they expect to get always more clothes and toys. A good alternative is to encourage the child to donate the toys she no longer uses or the clothes that no longer fit. Teach that those objects that the child doesn’t use anymore could be important to other children.

The infantile narcissism and the fact that children don’t want share things with others as friends or parents is part of the regular development of the personality. But this narcissism should not be encouraged and should gradually reduce. This means to encourage your child to share and think about others. The next time you go shop, encourage your child to choose one or two items to donate to a food bank, shelter, or institutions of his or her trust, such as soap, toothpaste, diapers, or clothing.

Since little children are taught to thank when they receive a gift or when someone does something good for her. But try to go beyond favors and social rules. Thank your son when he picks the toys that were in the room; when your spouse made dinner or even after the delicious afternoon you spent with your family. When we speak and thank others, we acknowledge their effort and demystify that gratitude has a date and a time to be recognized and practiced.

See you next time,
Laura