Teaching Children to be Thankful

Teaching children to be thankful is crucial to our walk as followers of Jesus. This cultivates an attitude of gratitude that will be beneficial for their future. We are able to teach children this virtue through our own actions and leadership as parents. These are a few ways we can teach our children to be thankful.

Sharing a Meal

Sharing a meal shows children that giving others basic necessities like meals can be very impactful for others. Sharing a meal can also reaffirm that we should serve others before ourselvesBeing thankful for their own food and seeing that giving to others is important because it allows children to understand the gift that food is. You can instill this form of gratitude by making a meal and delivering it to neighbors, starting a neighborhood canned food drive, or by volunteering with your child at a local shelter to serve food. 

In Prayer

When praying with your children, allowing time to be thankful incorporates the value of gratitude to the Lord. We know that through prayer we are able to communicate with the Lord, so instilling in our children that we are able to thank him in this time will allow them to grow in their relationship with the Lord. Simply list things that you are thankful for and reiterate that it all comes from the Lord. Allow your child to list things that they are thankful for and then verbalize that it all comes from the Lord. Include things like our talents are gifts that we can be thankful for because they are not from our own abilities. 

Scripture Challenge

Creating a scripture challenge for your children surrounding being thankful is a fun and immersive way to teach them about gratitude. For example, gather five scriptures that point us back to be thankful to God, and write them in places around the house that everyone can see. Have your children work to memorize these scriptures and, after a certain period of time, quiz them and ask them the significance of being thankful. Pointing thankfulness back to the scriptures is a great way to incorporate an application of the Bible into their lives. 

Thank You Cards

There are many people in your child’s life that they can show thanks to. A fun and creative way to do that is by creating cards for those people. If your child is stuck on who to send a thank you card to, start with relatives, local businesses, servicemen, and teachers. People like your mailman, the grocery clerks, and others who your child regularly interacts with might appreciate these thank you cards. Showing appreciation this way will teach your child to be thankful for the people around them. It teaches your child to serve those who serve them, just as Jesus did in the Bible. 

Being thankful is an important part of the faith because it allows us to stay humble.  With over 57 years of academic excellence, St. Teresa Catholic School, a Titusville Catholic school, provides a quality education that challenges and empowers students to develop to their full potential while also serving them spiritually. Students foster qualities that are essential for lifelong learning and are equipped for future success. To learn more about why St. Teresa is the perfect fit for you and your student, contact us today.