Tips for teaching children to be grateful

_{Image Taken from the Original Author}

Hello friends of the STEEM FOR BETTERLIFE community

That children are taught to be grateful is an action that goes beyond the traditional answer "thank you"; therefore, adults have the mission of instilling in the little ones that the practice of gratitude has broader and totally different elements. Keep in mind that gratitude is an action that goes beyond having good manners, in reality, that word involves lifestyle, mentality and our traits.

In view of this, gratitude is a value that all children have the mission to develop because with it, they will be able to identify, recognize and value what other people are doing for them.

Now, being grateful represents one of the most important and personal characteristics since, when it develops, the person has skills of kindness and generosity. When a little one is grateful, he has no selfish feelings, his attitude makes him happier and he will have excellent relationships with the social environment where he lives.

_{Image Taken from the Original Author}

Several studies have shown the coincidence in the benefits that a person receives when putting gratitude into practice, among them are:

• Reduced risk of feeling depressed.

• It predisposes all our positive emotions.

• Increases satisfaction in social relationships.

• It increases the ability to want to maintain serenity in the middle of a stressful situation.

Undoubtedly, if we teach our children to put gratitude into practice, we would automatically be giving them an excellent gift because with this skill, they can also teach those around them. For this edition of CotinaEducative, I will be sharing some tips that can be applied so that children learn to be grateful.

_{Image Taken from the Original Author}

Example models to follow

---

The first reference that children have when analyzing a behavior to follow, is that of their parents or, an adult who traditionally makes daily life in their environment. If a child sees that his parents act generously and feels comfortable observing the good things that happen with this behavior, they will want to follow that example that they are seeing from the adult figure.

However, if they observe that their parents or other adults have attitudes of complaints, negativity, they are rude and rude to other people; it is difficult for them to understand the important meaning of being and at the same time, feel grateful.

_{Image Taken from the Original Author}

We all have needs

---

A normal behavior that we can see in children when they are young is that they are selfish and even egocentric and, it is somewhat complicated to explain that our society is very large and everything does not revolve around what they want. Biologically they have proven that, the possibility of being able to reduce these characteristics that they have is achieved over time, however, adults can also contribute to accelerate the delay in getting them to overcome the egoism and egocentrism they have.

Adults have the mission to help them see that, absolutely all of us have longings and at certain times, they can be very different or, nothing compatible. In view of this, it is very likely that we will not be able to satisfy them for that reason, this makes us feel frustrated, thus forgetting everything we do have.

_{Image Taken from the Original Author}

Importance of sharing

---

When a child manages to learn to share, he also learns to value everything he possesses, in these elements we include objects and comforts. In view of this, it is important for parents to teach their children to share because, this action also implies that they are considerate of other people.

_{Image Taken from the Original Author}

Importance of saying 'Thank you'

---

When a parent considers teaching their little one to be grateful, it is essential that he always keep in mind the following: at the time of giving thanks, this should not be a mechanized gratitude, the right thing is that a child learns to say it because he values the gesture they had with him. Although it may seem that this is just a word, you have to teach them the meaning behind it.

The action of saying 'Thank you' is something that they will gradually do, however, it is very important that parents help teach them all the benefits they can have if they are grateful from the heart.

_{Image Taken from the Original Author}

Thank you to the children'

---

When they see that a child did something good, immediately the parents should say 'Thank you child'; you always have to show them gratitude and this should be of the same level that a father teaches his son. It should be noted that this action represents an example when reinforcing the teaching they are teaching because, remember that if they are the model of their children, they will assimilate faster: teaching.

With this strategy, children will gradually discover the importance of simple things and, seeing that others like them, they will feel very happy. These actions will also lead a child to the desire to discover what other things please the people who make life in their environment.

_{Image Taken from the Original Author}

Express why you feel grateful

---

The practice of giving a child the opportunity to express why he is grateful is very positive; however, this action should be done avoiding scolding or reproaching him since, this will be interpreted as not giving value to his feelings. During these conversations, parents have the opportunity to get to know their little one better, a situation that allows them to assess where their personality is forming and at the same time, they would have time to reinforce something that is necessary.

It should be noted that adults have the task of explaining to their children what are the things for which it is important to be grateful. In this way, they will carry out the process of expanding the vision of the world around them and thus, be able to engage in conversations that allow them to value all the good things that happen in their lives.

_{Image Taken from the Original Author}

Importance of gratitude

---

As we can analyze, if children learn to be grateful, they will be able to enjoy the excellent benefits that this practice offers them. However, it should be noted that, in all cases, gratitude does not develop naturally. Negative elements in our lives such as resentments, disappointment and fear, will want to have more prominence than the positive aspects.

In view of the above, the need arises to block everything negative that exists in our life because, children will always absorb that energy for that reason, the task of teaching them to be grateful will be lost and, it is not the idea. We must avoid pejorative expressions with children; for example, "We are poor" since, this will make a little one grow up having social resentments and will not appreciate the other important elements he has in life.

During the mission of teaching children the importance of being grateful, it also reaches the level of repairing the misrepresentation that exists regarding gifts because, a gift should never measure the fortune that a child has.

To conclude, it is vital that parents keep in mind that, if a child who is on his birthday, did well in an exam or advanced at an academic level, to make him feel good, the only mission is not to fill them with gifts, the most important thing is to express with words and hugs all the admiration they feel for reaching that goal. A gift is only the representation of an object, the embrace is real love and the most important connection you will have with them.

---