We aren’t born grateful. It is something we have to learn. The quicker they learn, the happier they will be.
A child when fully taught will be like his teacher. (Luke 6:40) Here are five tips to help you create a thankful family. Hint: The key is parental participation.
5 TIPS FOR CREATING A THANKFUL FAMILY
1. Start early and model the behavior you wish to see.
A child as young as 12 months begins to parrot their parent’s behavior. Be a role model of the actions you desire to see in your child. This is training your child in an action before they really understand the concept.
When you ask your child for something or to do something say please and thank you. It might even seem like a game, but they are catching on. This modeling stage will last forever with other steps being layered on.
You are your child’s example in the same way Jesus is our example. As they grow, you will be able to show them that the behavior you are modeling for them comes from the example Jesus gave to us and point them to Him.
What do you want your family legacy to be?
Have you thought about your legacy? What traditions, values, ideals, and faith principles are you instilling in your kids and grandkids? Every person will leave some kind of legacy for their family, but it’s up to each of us to determine what kind of legacy it will be.
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“We always have everyone say one thing they are thankful for at Thanksgiving dinner still to this day.”
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2. Train them through traditions and everyday events.
We always have everyone say one thing they are thankful for at Thanksgiving dinner still to this day. Some families do this weekly. As you constantly use please and thank you in your home you will see your children start to use them on their own.
When we would stop for ice cream, especially when we had all six, the peer pressure was on. They were in a contest to see who was first to say thank you. As the kids start to use them on their own it is becoming part of their nature more and more.
3. Help them put action to their words.
Once they begin to pick up the vocabulary of thankfulness, it’s time to give them opportunities to act on it as well.
Help them write thank you notes. Have them write notes or call Grandparents (and people in general) to thank them for gifts.
A call or personal visit is good because it helps them to express themselves verbally.
Don’t overlook even small reasons for thank you notes to teachers, Sunday School teachers, friends, and others. It’s important that you explain why we write the letters or give a call. Don’t just tell them to do it, but explain what God’s Word says and what a blessing that person is in their life. At this stage, don’t leave the little ones out let them scribble and be a part. Write the interpretation below the scribble.
Related: 3 Ways to Bring Your Child in on Giving
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“When they are very young, tell them what God has done for them, even before they fully grasp the concept, they will note the behavior and the words.”
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4. Help your child to be thankful to God.
In addition to being thankful to those around us, we need to train our children to give thanks to God. It’s not enough just to tell them to do it because mom and dad do. We need to walk them through the process of why. When they are very young, tell them what God has done for them, even before they fully grasp the concept, they will note the behavior and the words.
This means you need to thank God as a family as well. Thank Him for who He is and what He has done. Tell your children about the answered prayers and blessings.
The Bible says in Psalm 100:4-5, that we are to approach God with thanksgiving and praise. In Psalm 107:22, we read where we are to give thanks and to offer and tell of His works with songs of joy.
Related: Living Humble in a Selfie Word
5. Build on the foundation you have established.
Continue to build on the foundation you have set in the previous steps as your child grows. As they are able to grasp more concepts, this leads into how they accept Jesus as their Lord, learn about the Holy Spirit and develop their relationship with God.
The concept of gratefulness is not merely polite or good for one time a year, it’s foundational in our faith walk.
At every age and stage bring another concept in. Talk about praise and show them the scriptures on it. This way they know that God inhabits praise and the power of their words. It leads into every other area of life.
Jesus grew in wisdom and favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). If He had to grow, so do we and so do our children! Don’t lose the momentum. Build on these lessons with your children.
HOW TO BUILD A LEGACY
A legacy is what you pass on to the next generation. It includes your ideals, values, traditions, and faith. God considers the legacy we leave to be extremely important. Remember, the whole reason God chose Abraham to be the father of many nations was because He knew Abraham would pass his faith on to the next generation.
Have you thought about your legacy? What traditions, values, ideals, and faith principles are you instilling in your kids and grandkids? Every person will leave some kind of legacy for their family, but it’s up to each of us to determine what kind of legacy it will be.
In this series, you’ll learn how to purposefully build your family legacy by gaining a deeper understanding of three primary areas in life that are the most likely to trip you up.
They are:
Sin – We’ll see what it is and how to control it
Work – We’ll take a look at what it means to be redeemed from the curse of poverty and from just making a living
Words – What we say matters. We’ll see from God’s Word that life and death are in the power of the tongue.
Learn more about building your family legacy according to God’s Word with this DVD message from Joe.
Denise McGee invested the last 30 years of her life in ministry alongside her husband Joe. They have six children and three grandchildren.
More From Denise
Preparing Your Child for the Real World
START NOW
Start the process of growing up grateful with this “I Give Thanks” activity page. It’s a great way to start talking to your child about what it means to be thankful. Share your I Give Thanks form (from your kids or yourself) on our facebook page with the hashtag #thethankfulfamily.
TELLING YOUR CHILD THE TRUTH
The next step is to tell your child the truth because getting God’s Word in their heart is part of them growing up grateful.
