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Encouraging your child to express gratitude will help them have a healthy attitude towards life because they will naturally start to appreciate the good that comes their way rather than dwelling on the bad. There are lots of ways you can explore gratitude with your child, as discussed below by an independent school in Bath.
Seek Out Positives
Every day at a time that suits you, ask each member of your family to share some of the positive things that have happened to them or that they’re looking forward to. Essentially, the idea is to talk about what you’re grateful for. This could be something as simple as being given a lift to school or seeing an old friend. By taking turns to seek out the positives in your lives, you will all feed off of one another’s optimism. This activity will take your child’s mind away from anything that might be getting them down.
Send Thank You Cards
Encourage your child to create their own thank you cards whenever applicable. For example, they could send a thank you card to their teacher at the end of term or to all of their friends that attended their birthday party. Try not to focus on saying thank you just for material things like gifts, but instead encourage your child to give thanks whenever they feel grateful towards someone.
Look on the Bright Side
Your child will read your own attitude and mimic how you handle certain situations, so try and look on the bright side around them. As an example, if you were planning to go to the zoo but the weather is awful, say something like “never mind, we will find something just as fun to do instead”. Approaching things with a positive mindset will encourage your child to do the same.
