**Collaborative post**
We all want our children to be polite and grateful in their lives, but they have to learn somehow! That is why I’ve partnered with a Private School in London to take you through some points on exploring gratitude with your children.
Showing Gratitude Yourself
The best way to teach your child gratitude is by seeing you, their role model, demonstrate it yourself. Encourage a sense of gratitude across your day to day life, acknowledging how lucky you are to have certain things, bringing attention to all the big and small things to be grateful for.
Ask Them Questions About Kindness
Whenever someone does something nice for your child, or someone does something nice for you, ask your child the question: why was that a kind act, and how did it make you feel? Getting them to identify acts of kindness and acknowledge that they feel grateful will allow them to have a better sense of why it is important to demonstrate gratitude.
Reciprocate Kindness
You should encourage your children to reciprocate the kindness shown to them either through a thank you card or a gesture of their own. You should always encourage them to say please and thank you in everyday life to demonstrate good manners, as well as making them appreciate the gifts and kindness that they receive. A thank you card for birthday or Christmas gifts is a simple and effective means of teaching gratitude for the items they receive, and teaches them not to take what they are given for granted. Any act of kindness that comes along, be it random or a gift, should be acknowledged, as every act of kindness is always something to be grateful for.
Practice
You can practice gratitude in your day-to-day life by helping to identify the little things in life that you should be thankful for, from the clothes on your back to food on your plate. It is easy for kids to take everyday items for granted, but gently reminding them that nothing is guaranteed and not everyone has access to the same things can instil a deeper sense of gratitude in your child.
