The opposing word of Gratitude is that dreaded word “Entitlement”. Once you’ve identified that entitlement lives in your home it can be disheartening to say the least. The evidence is in the negative reaction to being told no, and in the consistent “I wants” and the gimmies. But it is absolutely possible to turn it around. Here’s how to teach your child gratitude through giving and volunteering.
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Teaching Children Gratitude Through Giving
Holidays are an ideal time to share with your children what gratitude looks like. Even simple gestures can make a big difference. Someone’s life can be changed with just ONE word.
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. – 2 Corinthians 9:11
Gratitude changes everything! It changes the atmosphere of our home, it increases our joy and it brings strength to our lives as Christians. If you start with just one little change, moving towards a heart of gratitude in your home I believe you will be so encouraged mama.
Teaching children gratitude through giving to those in need and volunteering doesn’t require a lot of time or resources. These simple ideas are an excellent way to spend quality time with your children while teaching them the valuable lesson of gratitude and guiding them to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Try one of these things to increase the character of gratitude in your children and yourself today.
Spread Goodness Through Baking
Kids love to spend time in the kitchen, watching and learning how to make some of their favorite foods. Working together with your child to create simple, yummy baked goods provides them with an awareness of the effort that goes into the food they eat.
You ever notice how picky eaters become good eaters simply by being a part of the process. They learn to appreciate the food as they prepare it.
Cook and package up some delicious goodies. You and your “kitchen assistants” can then deliver them to many grateful recipients. Firefighters, police officers, nursing home residents, and those living in local shelters will all appreciate these thoughtful offerings. Your little ones will be able to see, first-hand, how even these humble gifts evoke a true feeling of thankfulness.
Create Helpful Bags For the Homeless
Homelessness is an epidemic and so very sad. It’s difficult for anyone living on the street to find much to be thankful for. If you don’t have time to volunteer at your local homeless shelter another way to help is by creating “Heart for the Homeless Bags” with your children. This is a great way to brighten their lives while teaching your kids about gratitude.
These handy collections of everyday items can mean a lot to someone who has nothing. Items you can put in your bags include a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, shampoo, hand sanitizer, feminine hygiene products, and deodorant.
Snacks can also be included – energy bars, pre-packaged cheese and crackers or peanut butter and crackers. These are the everyday items that we take for granted but would be a HUGE blessing to someone who doesn’t have them readily available.
If you are able to include a small amount of money like a five-dollar bill, that will definitely be appreciated. Take these bags with you whenever you go out, and if you spot a homeless individual, grab a bag and hand it to them to sow a seed of love into their forgotten lives. Teaching compassion by example and seeing the thankful expressions of the recipient’s faces can make a big impact on your children.
Write Up a Gratitude List
One project your children can work on individually is to write up a Gratitude List of things they are thankful for. To make it more interesting, make it an “A to Z” list. They might really have to think to come up with items for every letter. Once they are done and look back at their list, they may appreciate those items even more.
BONUS FREE PRINTABLE: After you have the list complete you can download and print this free Thankful Tree to transform your gratitude into an artistic expression. (See the bottom of this post for another freebie!)
Raise Money for a Good Cause
Raising money for those in need is a great way to teach your children to work hard and earn money. Not for themselves, but to work hard and earn money for a good cause. So why not start a fundraiser? Choose a cause that is near to their heart, something they have a passion for. Set up the fundraiser, whether it is something simple like selling lemonade to neighbors or something a little more involved like having a bake sale. Your kids will come away from this with a sense of accomplishment, gratitude and also learn some great entrepreneurial skills they can use in the future.
Cleaning Up While Brightening Lives
Another activity that your children can do on their own is to go through their toys and clothing for items to donate to less fortunate children. Shelters and hospitals are always grateful for these kinds of donations.
The act of giving will provide your children with a sense of pride, knowing that they helped another child whose Gratitude List probably isn’t as long as their own.
Create Beautiful Cards
If you have any would-be artists in your family, put that creativity to good use and brighten the life of someone they don’t even know. Design and make holiday cards for those who may not otherwise receive any.
It is a fun way to teach respect and compassion. Your final products can be sent to nursing homes, hospitals, or to servicemen and women stationed away from their homes during the holidays.
Lifelong Lessons in Giving and Gratitude
These are just a few ways of teaching children gratitude through giving and volunteering. Your community may have food banks or soup kitchens that accept volunteers and some may have positions for children, depending on their age. Child sponsorship roles like those found on jooble.org are another way to offer a profound opportunity to demonstrate the values of generosity and thankfulness to children, showing them how their contributions can bring about significant positive changes in the lives of others.
When your children learn to appreciate what they have and to help others along the way, their lives will be even richer. Whether it’s something they made themselves or the gift of their time, when people give of themselves to others, they get an even bigger gift in return! And isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about?
What are some ideas that you have used to teach gratitude to your kids and put an end to entitlement?
Forest Rose is a God Loving, Blessed Wife, & Mama to 3 girls. She’s passionate about lifting moms out of the trenches that are discouraged, overwhelmed, or feeling alone or isolated. Her hope is to point them to Christ and equip them to rise up with a newfound hope and joy within, that He alone can provide. Besides blogging, she also loves to create printables!
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