Raising grateful kids

Our little ones are always being exposed to the finer things of life, and they may feel entitled to some of those things. But it's never too late for you to take hold of the reigns and raise kids who are selfless, grateful, emotionally sound and kind.

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These days, children are exposed to streaming services, smartphones, T takeaways and all the fun things modern society has to offer. And, yes, as busy parents, we often don't think of the long-term effects - nor the resulting expectations - of using these luxuries as a way to get through the day. I for one, am guilty of this and quickly had to face reality when my kids would recommend ordering-in on a whim. I had to take stock of my own behaviour and what I was teaching my children: these were luxuries, not necessities. I frantically sought out a book to help me along, stumbled upon Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World by Kristen Welch and took stock of a few helpful hints to add to my arsenal of getting my kiddies (or myself!) on the right track. Behaviours are learned, and when I read: "And as uncomfortable as it sounds, parents who want less-entitled kids have to be less entitled themselves, and parents who want to raise more grateful kids need to start by living more grateful lives" it truly hit home for me. So on my mission to spark gratitude within my kiddies, I tried changing and implementing a few things in their lives.