Family Matters Newsletter - November 2007

Being Thankful - Important for Children and Adults

Sheila Gaines, Colorado State University Extension - Phillips County

Being thankful can have a huge impact on our daily lives.

Thankful means you appreciate what you have and what others do for you. Adults can model this for children by practicing it themselves.

Start with expressing genuine gratitude to your child if he/she demonstrates appropriate behavior, a good attitude, kindness to others or good manners. Let him/her hear you say thank you throughout the day in any daily activities.

Have a good attitude about life and its challenges. Show children that when you feel grateful, you mention it. Write about it. Express your gratitude.

Volunteer in the community. Choose activities that the child can participate with you. Donate items to charity. Encourage children to select personal items to donate. For example, gently used seldom played-with toys and out-grown clothes.

Here are some ideas to get the family involved in expressing their gratitude:

  • Start a nightly ritual. Encourage all family members to express thanks for something good that happened to them during the day.
  • Write thank-you notes. Help children write their own expressions of thankfulness Young children can dictate their message to an adult or draw a picture. If the gift was something non-material, like an afternoon of cookie baking with an Aunt, describe the activity and how it made the child feel.
  • Let children earn a special privilege or new item rather than just receiving it. Children often take more pride in what they earn or work for and are more grateful.
  • Put colorful strips of paper in a basket or box. Every day for a week or even a month before an important family holiday, have each family members write down or draw one thing for which they are grateful. Ask each to share. Then, using tape or a glue stick, create a paper-chain that will become part of the holiday decorations. Use strips of holiday gift-wrap or construction paper to match the theme.
  • Start a scrapbook of family thankful things. Include people, places and events. Family stories of unique happenings can also be part of the journal. Have the kids help. They can draw, paint or take pictures of what they appreciate. Plan special times during the year to share the scrapbook.
  • Help someone in need. Children can realize the gratitude of others when they do things for someone. Encourage them to share what they have with others. For example, my daughter has a Share Some jar. She shares a portion of her weekly allowance. We regularly talk about which charity or project should receive the funds once she has saved a specific amount.

Thankfulness is developed over time. Practice and express it day by day. When you express gratitude in a sincere way, it grows into something bigger than a small passing thought. Thoughts expressed in words turn into actions. Repeated actions become habits. Habits develop into character.

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Thanksgiving: An annual celebration, a daily habit

"A sense of appreciation is an important part of a positive outlook. And research indicates that a positive attitude is essential to the success of peak performers in both business and sports worlds. Studies are also beginning to provide evidence that a positive attitude may even enhance the body's healing system and general health."
(Sam Quick, PhD., Human Development and Family Relations Specialist at the University of Kentucky.)

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Active Kids

Daily exercise is a key to being fit. Preschool children who are inactive risk becoming overweight later in life.

By age 3 most children can: go up and down stairs by alternating their feet, jump in place and throw overhand

By age 4 most children can: catch a bounced ball, jump with a running start and pedal a tricycle

By age 5 most children can: skip, leading with one foot, roll like a log and "pump" on a swing

What can you do at home or in child care to help young children be physically fit? Encourage them to get moving. Make positive comments that focus on effort: "Wow, you zoomed down the slide!" "You almost made a basket!"

Provide at least 60 minutes a day for active free play. Let them run, climb, march, pedal, throw, roll, skip, dig, and jump in a safe space until they are tired. Offer riding toys, balls, beanbags, climbers, balance beams, and obstacle courses.

Think about safety. Help children remember hats and mittens during cold weather. In hot weather, see that they cool off in the shade and drink plenty of water. Whatever the weather, help them avoid overexposure to direct sunlight.

Plan an hour or more of structured physical activity each day. Families and caregivers can teach creative movement, dance, and game-playing skills. Some park districts also offer classes in swimming, group games, or ballet for young children. Classes should focus on skills and fun, not winning and losing. In most cases, organized sports are more appropriate for older children.

Turn off the TV and computer. Experts say preschoolers should not sit in one place or lie down for more than an hour at a time unless they are sleeping. Limiting "screen time" provides more opportunities for active play.

Set a good example. Let children see you eating healthy food and being active. Note: Doctors say it is better to talk about becoming strong and healthy, rather than about "being thin" or "losing weight."

Exercise together. Try sledding, hiking, gardening, and games like catch or tag. Stress cooperation and fun rather than winning.

Share books that show the importance of fitness. Offer children books about dancers, athletes, construction workers, farmers, and other physically active people.
(Adapted from Illinois Early Learning Project. Illinois State Board of Education. 2007)

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