November is here! The October sugar highs are hopefully wearing off and now turkey month upon us. Thanksgiving is a great time to really drive home the message of being grateful and thankful for all that we have. It can set their hearts on the right path for the upcoming holiday season. More importantly, teaching them these lessons in their young years can stay with them for the rest of their lives. Here are some tips as I see them to start teaching thankfulness in your home.
- Teach them to say “thank you.” I know that sounds simple and I know we all teach our kids to say please and thank you. But do they MEAN it? Do they feel it in their heart? When they are old enough, we can have them complete the whole thought too…such as “thank you for opening the door.” As parents we have to remember to model the same things, so try to use the same method when thanking them too.
- Have them write “thank you notes.” I know, most of our kids can’t write yet, but they can scribble and take time to show their appreciation. Help them draw a picture or express words of gratitude when someone does something nice for them. Let them help you do something nice for another family too. They will enjoy the process and the good feeling that comes from doing something kind for someone else.
- Share with your kids why you are thankful for them and have them do the same. You can make this an art project too with “thankful” feathers on a turkey, or a “thankful” garland on the fireplace. It does not have to be just about your immediate family, you can also help them recognize others that serve them like friends, neighbors, teachers, mailmen, soldiers, and doctors.
- Get out there and serve as a family. We all have so much to be grateful for. Life, health, love, family, food, shelter, clothing…so many things that others just don’t have. Our children can learn this lesson best by seeing it first hand. If we take them with us to serve, the whole family benefits from it. There are many options out there, especially this time of year! Below is a list of a few Dallas opportunities I hope you will explore further.
Dallas Family Service Opportunities:
- Positive Placemats is an easy and fun way to make an impact on an elderly person receiving a meal from Meals on Wheels. All it takes is a 12×18 sheet of construction paper and a great imagination. Lemonstoaid has all of the details you need to complete this project.
- Angel Tree through the Salvation army is a wonderful outreach program for families in need. You can involve your children in selecting the angel and purchasing their gifts. They will start accepting donations as early as November 13th.
- Ronald McDonald House has great opportunities for families to serve together. You can host a movie night, game night, or ice cream social for families with sick little ones. You could gather some friends to help out as well.
- Host a Hot Chocolate Stand and donate the proceeds to disaster relief or families in need.
- The North Texas Volunteer Network has a long list of Holiday Volunteer Opportunities to choose from as well.
You know some “experts” say that we are raising an “entitled” generation that wants for nothing and therefore appreciates nothing. I just can’t believe that to be true! We all just love our children and want what is best for them. By teaching them gratitude and how to be a servant they will not only have joy, they will have a world of opportunities before them!
What are you thankful for this November?
How are teaching this to your children?
Do you know of other service opportunities for families?
We would love to hear from you!
Great ideas, Jenn! I love the placemat idea. We delivered Meals on Wheels when I was little! Maybe we’ll continue that tradition when the kids are older, but for now a placemat seems like such a fun, easy way to teach my kids the importance of serving others! Thanks!