A Daily Gratitude Journal
October 4, 2009 by Christine Gooding
Filed under Parenting
Teach your child to be thankful for the little and the big things of his every day with a Daily Gratitude Journal. Before going to bed, sit down with your child and ask him what the highlights of his day were.
Image credit: D Sharon Pruitt
Talk about the good things that happened that day. What are the things that made him smile? What moments made him happy? List them down — getting an A on his History quiz, sharing a funny joke with a friend. Draw pictures — let him draw the cute dog he saw by the bus stop, let him recreate the orange leaves that delighted him as he walked home from school. Attach little mementos, like a ticket from a movie he enjoyed or the wrapper of a candy his school crush shared with him. Record that day’s happy thoughts.
This daily reflection can help your child look at the positive side of things. Not all days are terrible, as there will always be something to be thankful for in his every day.
We actually do this for our dinner ritual, each person talks about one good thing that happened to them that day. Oh and first thing in the morning before they head out the door to board the bus I make them think of one happy thought before leaving the house. This always puts a smile on their face no matter what type of mood they were in prior.