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effort to say thank you and being
openly and enthusiastically thankful spreads outwards to our friends’
friends’ friends—to 3-degrees of
to others for opening a door, separation. Just as a pebble creates
K IDs For kids and parents alike making a meal, or helping out, we waves when it is dropped in a pond,
demonstrate gratitude. so acts of kindness ripple outwards,
by Anita DiGregory touching others’ lives and inspiring
Put it in Writing. Help your child kindness everywhere the wave
write a thank you note to someone
goes.”
Thanks & Giving who has helped them, perhaps a suggest that being kind is actually
Additionally, scientific studies
teacher, coach, bus driver, or school
crossing guard. Help them hand highly beneficial for us. A study
deliver their special note. conducted at Emory University
Thanksgiving is nearly upon us. individuals were more apt to found that when a person is kind
I love Thanksgiving—the faith- exercise, practice healthy living, and Make it Fun. Children learn to another, the giver’s pleasure
based tradition, the family-time, experience healthier sleep patterns. more when their lessons are real and reward center of the brain is
the fun, the food, and the feasting. Thankful participants were less and entertaining. Try doing an stimulated to that of the receiver.
Quietly nestled between the sugar lonely, demonstrated better social ongoing gratitude activity. Last year, This increase in pleasure is known
overload of Halloween and the interactions, and displayed more during the month of November, I as the “helper’s high.” Other studies
incessant over-commercialization of signs of being forgiving, outgoing, constructed a gratitude tree with my have found that acts of kindness
Christmas (I honestly think some helpful, compassionate, and two youngest children. We designed increase energy, happiness, lifespan,
retailers had Christmas decorations generous. the trunk out of construction paper and serotonin, and also decrease
displayed in September this year!), Instilling a strong sense of and taped it to a prominent wall in pain, stress, anxiety, blood pressure,
Thanksgiving has remained a gratitude in our children is a our home. Each day, they wrote on and depression in the giver.
humble holiday, steeped in tradition necessary and powerful tool in colored, construction paper leaves Here are some things we can do
and rich in meaning. Even in a equipping them to become happy, one thing for which they were with our children that may help
time when patriotism has somehow healthy adults. According to Raising thankful. By Thanksgiving, we had nurture a spirit of kindness in them:
become controversial, Thanksgiving Happiness author Christine Carter, a wonderful, colorful display of model kindness; smile; spend time
continues to bring people together Ph.D., grateful children may grow their gratitude for all to enjoy. with an elderly relative or neighbor;
and unite them around tables into happier grown-ups. Carter, donate gently used toys, books, or
across the country. Although the director of the Greater Good Make Gratitude a Habit. Help clothes; visit a nursing home; help a
holiday only happens once a year, Parents program at the University your children to be thankful each friend in need.
teaching, modeling, and reinforcing of California at Berkeley, states, day. Help them design a gratitude According to Sonja Lyubomirsky,
the ideas of “thanks” and “giving,” “Pioneering social scientists think journal, where they can draw or PhD., author of The Myths of
has scientifically been proven to that 40 percent of our happiness write about what they are thankful Happiness: What Should Make
help both adults and children to be comes from intentional, chosen for that day. Incorporate giving You Happy, But Doesn’t, What
happier and healthier. activities throughout the day. thanks into nighttime prayers, when Shouldn’t Make You Happy, But
Dr. Robert Emmons from Thankfulness is not a fixed trait. It’s each child can think back on the day Does, states that almost any type of
the University of California has a skill that can be cultivated, like and list those things for which he or act of kindness will boost happiness
conducted numerous scientific kicking a soccer ball or speaking she is grateful. in the giver. Quoting one of her
studies on gratitude. The findings French.” Therefore, consistently study’s findings, she adds, “when 9
reported from experiencing and teaching and encouraging our Thankfulness goes hand-in- to 11-year old kids were asked to do
demonstrating gratitude included children to be grateful is vital. Here hand with giving. Thanksgiving. acts of kindness for several weeks,
many psychological, physical, and are some ideas for helping children By teaching our children to give not only did they get happier over
social benefits. Researchers found to grow in gratitude. of themselves—to give their time, time, but they became more popular
that gratitude resulted in feelings of talent, and treasure, one small act with their peers.”
alertness and wakefulness and higher Lead by Example. Children are at a time—we empower them to As parents, we are greatly
levels of joy, pleasure, optimism, great imitators, and little eyes are make a difference in a world that helping our children, ourselves,
and other positive emotions. Benefits always watching. As parents, we could use a lot of work. With small and the world by instilling in them
also included improved immune can send a powerful message to acts of kindness, we can change a sense of gratitude and a genuine
systems and blood pressure and our children by modeling grateful not only ourselves for the better, desire to be kind to others...true
decreased aches and pains. Grateful behavior. By taking the time and but the world as well. Ralph Waldo thanksgiving.
Emerson stated, “You cannot do a
kindness too soon, for you never
know how soon it will be too late.”
There is no better place or time then
right here and right now to make a
difference.
According to studies, kindness
is actually contagious. David R.
Hamilton, PhD., author of The Five
Side Effects of Kindness, states,
“When we’re kind, we inspire others
to be kind, and studies show that it
actually creates a ripple effect that
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