The act of being thankful is a muscle we all need to exercise from time to time. I believe it is extremely important for kids to see their loved ones showing thankfulness, being thankful and demonstrating how thankfulness works.
If you have ever thought about teaching your child the gift of giving back, the fall season is a GREAT place to start. Thanksgiving is around the corner and Christmas is just a few weeks after that. The weather is cooler and people tend to stay inside a bit more than in the summer months. Fall is the PERFECT opportunity to get your kids involved in a less selfish activity and get them into the habit of giving to others rather than always receiving.
Our oldest daughter is all about her “stuff.” We have stuffed animals GALORE, toys and trinkets everywhere and things she hasn’t played with or even looked at in MONTHS! When asked to go through her things and get rid of the stuff she doesn’t want, her pile is just a couple of little things that don’t make an impact on the “stuff” she still has. My husband and I have explained to her that things we own aren’t important as the relationships we hold. Unfortunately, when you are six years old, that doesn’t resonate. In trying to rid the house of unwanted and “un-played” with toys, we have found the following to be the most helpful.