One thing I want to teach my daughter is to be grateful for the things that are a part of her life. I want her to understand that life is full of moments to be thankful for and to not take those moments for granted.
In the spirit of the month of November and Thanksgiving, my daughter started a gratitude journal. My idea was that each day in November, she would draw something that she was thankful for.
To start, I explained to S what it meant to be thankful/grateful and I helped her at first come up with things that happened that day that she may be grateful for.
You can make the journal simply with construction paper folded in halves. However, S loves to play with art supplies, so we assembled her journal using scrapbooking paper, cardstock, alphabet stickers, markers and other embellishments.
Since S is 4, I asked her to draw a picture of what she is grateful for. If you have older children, they could write what they are thankful for.
I am planning on compiling the gratitude journal over the course of the month of November, however you could do the journal for a different length of time. In addition, you could discuss each night at the dinner table or while driving home from school, what you are grateful for.
Additional Ways to Instill Gratitude in a Child
One way to help children to be grateful is to teach them to always say “thank you”. This is something that I have stressed with S since she was a toddler. When someone gives her something or gives her a compliment, I ask her to say thank you. If she receives presents for Christmas or her birthday, she draws a picture on a thank you card. If she gets a Disney characters’ autograph and a hug, I always tell her to say thank you.
Lead by example, let your child see you being grateful, saying thank you, and appreciating moments in life. Your child is more likely to imitate you.
Are your children grateful or do they experience the gimmies? Or a little of both?
What a great idea! I’m in love with the front of that journal! It’s so cute. Definitely pinning this one!
Thank you Alli! S actually laid down all the letters herself!
I should do this with my girls, especially with my 7 year old. She has a case of the gimmies.. esp since her birthday is around Christmas.
S’s birthday is right after Christmas. Last year the day after her birthday, she was asking where her present was. I guess too many days of opening presents in a row made it a routine.
At night before we sleep we pray to say thanks for the good things. This thank you notebook is another amazing idea to make kids more thankful and I might try it too =) #MagicMoments
Thank you Merlinda!
I think this is a wonderful idea and it makes a really nice keepsake as well for in a few years time!
Emma | frillsanddoodads.com
Thank you Emma!
This is so neat!
Thank you Neely!
I love this! One of the most important things you can teach your children (and have yourself) is to have an attitude of gratitude!
Thank you Toni! I totally agree!
I shared this last night with my homeschool group – such a great idea!
Thank you so much MJ!
I love this idea!!
Thank you so much Beth!
Oh, I LOVE This. Love it.
I’m thinking that I need to get a special notebook for my daughter to decorate and we can get something similar going. Great idea.
Great idea Andrea! I hope your daughter enjoys!
This is a wonderful idea! Thank you for sharing your idea and a bit of your daughter’s journal with us at Wake Up Wednesday. I’m pinning this and will share it with my children. I’ve got one in particular that will jump all over this. Thank you!
Thank you Karen! I hope your children enjoy!
I am obsessed with my thankful journal, I cant believe I never thought of doing one with my child!! Awesome idea!
Thank you Lauren! I hope you make one with your child.
Thank you for posting on Motivation Monday!
I love this idea. Such a great way to reflect each day and write our thoughts together as a family. Great post and idea!
Thank you Heather! We’ve been enjoying it and I can’t wait to look back in a couple years.
Hello cute lady! Love this idea. Pinned. We really appreciate you taking the time to stop by our party. It wouldn’t be a party without you. Please join us on Monday at 7 pm. Happy Saturday! Lou Lou Girls
Thank you Kimberly!
I’ve been writing in a Thankful journal myself, and it would be such a great idea to do with kids. It’s a fun way to teach them to be grateful for the little things. Thanks for sharing with Hump Day Happenings.
Than you Jenna! I hope your kids join you in writing what they are thankful for.
I love this idea, such a great book 🙂 need to make one with my daughter 🙂
Thanks for linking up #CreativeMondays
Thank you Claire. I hope your daughter enjoys 🙂
what an awesome idea! love this thankful journal for everyone! I will have to start one for myself and for the grands! Thanks for sharing with us at Snickerdoodle, Paris!
Thank you! I hope you and your grands have fun recording what you are thankful for.
This is totally adorable and an amazing way to teach the meaning of gratefulness. I need to remember this for next year to do with my kids. Thanks so much!
Thank you Bre! It’s been a fun project.
This is sooooooo cute. LOVE IT! Thanks for linking this to the holiday linkz party
Thank you so much Simi!