"Thanksgiving Experience"--Parenting Tip #136

It’s Thanksgiving week! You know that usually means, piles of your favorite foods spread across the table and aunts and uncles and cousins. At some point the conversation will turn to what you are thankful for! Most of the answers will be something like, Freedom. Parents. Kids. Our home. and other “apple pie” answers. We make general statements so often at thanksgiving, that it can become routine. We almost reply on auto-pilot. 

 While there is nothing wrong with the answers usually given. I think most of us really want our kids to have a grateful attitude all year long, not just during the holidays. I want my kids to have gratefulness as a core value that becomes a part of who they are! Well…

 That never “Just happens naturally”. Our kids, just like ourselves, are selfish at the core. This Thanksgiving weekend…or any weekend for that matter…or any day…I have an “experience” for you to try.

 Unplug from all the tech gadgets, grab some ice cream, or a bowl of popcorn. Now, do your remember in the novel “Lord of the Flies”, when Ralph and Piggy find the conch shell. They begin to use it as a sign of authority and respect. When the kids gathered for meetings, whoever held the conch shell got to speak and others listened and gave respect. SO…grab an object…a Star Wars figure, a trophy, a wooden spoon…you get the idea. 

 Now select someone to begin and hand them the “conch”. Just use the questions below to begin a quest to get GRATEFULNESS deep into the core of your family.

1.  What’s your favorite toy or gadget? Why?
2. If you had to give that toy away…who would you want to have it? Why?
3. Who is the last person you gave something to just because? How did you feel?
4. When was the last time someone gave you something just because? (A random act of kindness maybe.)
5. Name one of your best friends. Why are they a best friend? Who do you know who doesn't seem to have many friends? What can you do about it?
6. What’s your absolute favorite meal? Is there an area in the world where kids probably have never had that meal? Where? (Did you know in Haiti, some kids eat dirt cookies just to keep there bellies from feeling hungry?)
7. What’s one thing that you do for someone in your home that hardly ever gets a “thank you”?
8. What one thing does someone in your family do for you, that you rarely say “Thank you” for?
9. Look to the person to your right and name on thing about them that you are thankful for?
10. Now begin to make up questions yourselves…and keep the “Conch” moving.

At some point consider gathering your family together and begin to brainstorm about why simply words like “Please” and “thank you” are important. 

Happy Thanksgiving!