The Character Issue: Gratitude

Happy Wednesday!!! Welcome to the Character Issue for December. This month we are focusing on gratitude and how to encourage it in our students and ourselves.

Make sure to read to the end of the post for an opportunity to win a new SLOCA zip-up hoodie!!!

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John F. Kennedy

Spoiled, entitled, ungrateful, selfish, dissatisfied; it is a pretty safe bet to say that these are not words you would want used to describe your kids. However, sometimes during this season of gift-giving and receiving we may see these traits sneak out of our kids or perhaps even us. So what can be done about it? The SLOCA character trait for the month of December is Gratitude. Look up gratitude in a thesaurus and you’ll find that several of the synonyms for gratitude; thankfulness, appreciation, acknowledgment, recognition, and gratefulness, are antonyms for the words listed above. Could it be that the solution to discouraging these undesirable traits that may arise during this season (and well, all year round) is gratitude? It is definitely hard to be selfish when you are thinking of what someone else has done for you. And contentment is often found when we consider all that we have rather than focusing on what we do not have.  

SLOCA defines Gratitude as:

“Being thankful and showing appreciation for those in our lives and for what we have and receive.”

Catch Phrase: “Say thank you as much as possible.”

So how do we nurture an “attitude of gratitude” in our kids? Well, search the internet and you’ll find a multitude of suggestions, but on almost every list out there the first suggestion is to model it. And if we are to model gratitude to our children we need to first cultivate it in ourselves. Below you’ll find a few suggestions to encourage gratitude in your life and your family. Remember, gratitude can be as simple as saying “Thank you”.  This is not just about manners, but about acknowledging and validating what some else has done. A genuine “thank you” says, “What you did has value and worth to me. You are valued.” Let’s face it, most of us don’t mind a little appreciation now and then. 

“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” ― G.K. Chesterton

Here are a few ideas to spark an “attitude of gratitude” in your home.  Be sure to comment below if you have ideas to add!

• Write “thank you” notes. When we take the time to write out our appreciation, it challenges us to truly reflect on what was done for us or given to us. (If you require your kids to write one for every gift they receive this December, you may see their wish lists shrink next year.)
• Share something you are grateful for every day. Maybe make a “Blessing Board” or have a jar with notepaper and a pen nearby to encourage your family to write down things they are thankful for. Share them at mealtimes, in the car, at bedtime or whenever.
• Do something for someone in need. Volunteer, make a meal for a neighbor, donate coats or blankets or toys for tots.
• Keep a gratitude journal. Just like writing a note causes you to pause and reflect, cultivating a grateful heart can be as simple as writing down what you are thankful for. The best thing about a journal is that you can always read back through it and be reminded.
• Challenge yourself and your family to “say thank you as much as possible”.  Find fun ways to make gratitude a habit.

“Reflect upon your present blessings, for which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” — Charles Dickens

Gratitude

Speaking of gratitude — we are so grateful to you, our Down Home readers!  Thank you for your feedback and participation that help us to provide you with relevant and applicable content.

We are looking for your input again. How do you keep your homeschool supplies organized? Do you have a great system for keeping your All About Spelling tiles and cards accessible? What do you do with your math manipulatives? Have you found some life-changing storage system for art supplies? How do you keep track of who’s stuff is who’s? Homeschooling requires a lot of “tools” and our home days usually go smoother when those materials are organized and accessible. Let’s help each other out by sharing our different methods of organizing. We will compile your spectacular ideas in a post to share with our SLOCA community.

Remember that promised opportunity to win a SLOCA zip-up hoodie? Email [email protected] your pictures, descriptions, suggestions, etc. about homeschool supply organization and you will be included in a drawing for a free SLOCA zip-up hoodie! Send them in soon, the winner will be announced in next Wednesday’s post.

Thank You!!!