Our main goal is to help families build connection. Strengthening the family bond is so important in raising happy and confident kids. Helping your kids feel seen and valued is a key to their success. During an authentic human connection, people exchange positive energy with one another and build trust. You might not think a gratitude jar for kids has a role in building this connection, but it does!
In this post we share 6 reasons why you should be using a gratitude jar for kids.
- Using a gratitude jar is a way to connect by recording happy moments you experience together as a family. Naming and calling out those moments that you enjoyed lets your family know you appreciated the time you had together. As teachers we have seen that children recall the smaller moments they spend with their parents as the ones they are most grateful for. Things like watching a TV show together, going on bike ride, or baking something together rank higher on their list than the big trips and present they receive.
2. Writing down the moments you are grateful for gives you another chance to connect at the year’s end. On New Year’s Day you can empty out your jar and read over all the moments you experienced together. We think you’ll be surprised at what moments were the most special to your family.
3. Starting a gratitude practice helps your kids learn resilience – a much needed skill in today’s world. On some days we have to force ourselves to find the good. As our kids learn this through a gratitude practice they are learning how to be resilient in trying times. When you set out to look for things to be grateful for, you find them.
4. Reduces materialism. You are helping your kids to learn what truly brings them joy. As we said earlier, children value time with their families more than most parents realize. When they see that the moments they most value are based on togetherness and not ‘things’ they learn what really matters.
5. Builds mindfulness. Mindfulness is a key to reducing stress and anxiety. In order to find things to be grateful for you have to be aware of your own feelings and what is going around you. As we raise our children part of our job is to teach them ways to be mindful in their daily lives.
6. Doesn’t feel natural at first? Keep going anyway. Paying attention to life’s positives can train you to notice more of them. A gratitude practice can feel strange at first. You can be tempted to simply record the big things you are grateful for – your house, your family, your job, and so on. But as you refine your practice you are forced to find the little things that matter. The more you recognize these, the more you’ll see them everyday.
Making your own gratitude jar for kids is simple. Grab our gratitude jar printables to make the process even easier. Just remember that building human connection doesn’t have to be complicated but it will always be meaningful.
