Tips on Fostering Gratitude

They say only adults know the importance of gratitude. As parents, we have to make sure that we foster gratitude among our kids because it can play a major role in their well-being as they grow up. There was a study conducted in 2006 by Christopher Peterson and Nansook Park that found out gratitude had the strongest relationship in terms of life satisfaction.

Gratitude means a state of being grateful or feeling of appreciation. If everyone practices this virtue, the world will be more meaningful and peaceful. According to the study sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation, grateful young adolescents are happier, more optimistic and more satisfied compared to their less-grateful counterparts. Knowing these benefits, it is imperative that we know how to foster more gratitude in children.

Here are some strategies that we can consider if we want to foster gratitude in children:

• Being a good role model: Our children will look up to us. They will determine which action to consider base on our conduct. Expressing gratitude either through words or action are good ways to teach children how to be grateful. Showing gratitude more openly will open the eyes of your kids to goodness.

• Spending more time with kids: Sometimes, you rarely teach your kids anything because you do not have time for it. Instead, you depend on their schoolteachers and caregivers to teach them whatever they need to learn in life. You have to know that children love being with their parents. Giving your children time and a chance to express love is the first step.

• Supporting intrinsic goals of kids: As parents, it is your job to keep our kids away from pursuing extrinsic goals like desiring wealth, status and anything that has to do with being materialistic. You have to support intrinsic goals like belongingness, love, growth and affiliation. The deep connections will amplify gratitude.

• Encouraging help and thoughtfulness: The two important ingredients for making grateful children are helping others at the same time being generous. To strengthen their relationships, you have to encourage them to be thoughtful, giving and helpful.

Singapore will indeed be more liveable and peaceful if all people practice gratitude. Gratitude is not too much to ask as long as we mean it. Children, as young as they are, should learn the value of such so they can live better in school and the community in general. Remember that gratitude is born from a loving connection and it propagates from a loving connection.