Gratitude.
Who hasn't heard someone elderly say at Christmas time, "children today are so spoilt, they don't know how lucky they are.... " . This may be true in some cases in the more affluent parts of our country, but is it truly their fault that they don't know how lucky they are?
Children who live through hardship naturally learn to be more thankful when good things come their way, but how can a child learn this 'thankfulness' or now the more popular term of 'gratitude' if they have not had to struggle for what they have and experience?
I've found the best ways to do this in my environment is by being a role model in practicing gratitude, teaching practical lessons on gratitude in my kid’s yoga classes and showing kindness to others less fortunate.
At Christmas we do simple things like buy a gift of a chicken and eggs for a child in a third world country through organisations like Unicef and hang the card on the tree to remind ourselves on Christmas Day of those less fortunate. At a young age children can be given a gratitude journal to start practice writing and draw pictures of what they are grateful for each day, week or month. Adults can practice this too for better sleep and optimism about life, which can set a more positive, grateful attitude within the home. A study found adults with neuromuscular disorders felt more optimistic about their coming week and more refreshed upon awaking then those that didn't. Another study found that adults that practised gratitude showed more emotional support to others as a result of journaling gratitude. (University of California and University of Miami, R. Emmons Ph.D and M. McCullough).
In lessons I ask children to think of three things they are thankful for and to make 'gratitude jars' for the year and every time they are thankful for something pop it on a note in a jar and at the end of the year remember all those wonderful things. Another good way to encourage gratitude is to expose children to volunteer work by getting the family involved or listening to stories of others in the family or outside of the family who have volunteered in their community throughout the year.
Conversations like these are easy to have throughout the year and not just at times like Christmas. For example, my elderly mother volunteered her time for three years to not-for-profit organisations when she retired and often told stories and involved her grandchildren in activities around her work.
Numerous studies have found that it is not only a 'noble' parent task to do, that is, pass on the ability to show gratitude, but it can also make you and your children 'happier and healthier'. The university of Texas Health Science Centre found in one study that, 'a growing body of research shows gratitude is truly amazing in its physical and psychosocial benefits.
So practice gratitude with your children for a healthy heart, mind and body and in turn the world may become a more kind society overall for everyone.
Who hasn't heard someone elderly say at Christmas time, "children today are so spoilt, they don't know how lucky they are.... " . This may be true in some cases in the more affluent parts of our country, but is it truly their fault that they don't know how lucky they are?
Children who live through hardship naturally learn to be more thankful when good things come their way, but how can a child learn this 'thankfulness' or now the more popular term of 'gratitude' if they have not had to struggle for what they have and experience?
I've found the best ways to do this in my environment is by being a role model in practicing gratitude, teaching practical lessons on gratitude in my kid’s yoga classes and showing kindness to others less fortunate.
At Christmas we do simple things like buy a gift of a chicken and eggs for a child in a third world country through organisations like Unicef and hang the card on the tree to remind ourselves on Christmas Day of those less fortunate. At a young age children can be given a gratitude journal to start practice writing and draw pictures of what they are grateful for each day, week or month. Adults can practice this too for better sleep and optimism about life, which can set a more positive, grateful attitude within the home. A study found adults with neuromuscular disorders felt more optimistic about their coming week and more refreshed upon awaking then those that didn't. Another study found that adults that practised gratitude showed more emotional support to others as a result of journaling gratitude. (University of California and University of Miami, R. Emmons Ph.D and M. McCullough).
In lessons I ask children to think of three things they are thankful for and to make 'gratitude jars' for the year and every time they are thankful for something pop it on a note in a jar and at the end of the year remember all those wonderful things. Another good way to encourage gratitude is to expose children to volunteer work by getting the family involved or listening to stories of others in the family or outside of the family who have volunteered in their community throughout the year.
Conversations like these are easy to have throughout the year and not just at times like Christmas. For example, my elderly mother volunteered her time for three years to not-for-profit organisations when she retired and often told stories and involved her grandchildren in activities around her work.
Numerous studies have found that it is not only a 'noble' parent task to do, that is, pass on the ability to show gratitude, but it can also make you and your children 'happier and healthier'. The university of Texas Health Science Centre found in one study that, 'a growing body of research shows gratitude is truly amazing in its physical and psychosocial benefits.
So practice gratitude with your children for a healthy heart, mind and body and in turn the world may become a more kind society overall for everyone.
Tracey Maclay
(Yogamotorskills.com)
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