Teaching children to be thankful can be most effective if done in subtle ways. Some subtle ways parents can use to teach this are modeling gratitude, encouraging acts of kindness, and practice writing thank you cards as these practices then become routines and can foster a natural sense of
appreciation.
Children learn by firsthand experiences. It is not only a good practice to model thankful moments with others, it is more profound when children experience firsthand when they are being sincerely thanked. Ask them questions helping them recognize the positive things in their life. Children will often focus on things that are upsetting and dismiss the many sweet moments of their day. Prompting them to recall what made them laugh or what was said that made them feel appreciated helps them shift to a thankful state of mind. Share with them things that made you, as an adult feel happy that day too.
Subtle ways parents can teach their children to be thankful involve modeling gratitude in daily life, focusing on experiences rather than possessions, and encouraging acts of kindness. By weaving these practices into routines, parents can foster a deep sense of appreciation in their children.
It is part of the Montessori curriculum to teach where things come from. There are many books that parents can read to their children that show how things are manufactured or made by hand. This is fascinating to children and helps foster a sense of appreciating effort.
Children are usually on the receiving end of what they experience. They can easily feel entitled and disconnected with cause and effect. This can lead to being unaware of when they need to appreciate something or someone. Being thankful is being happy and creates interconnectedness. It is a good way to begin each day.