Y’all I cannot believe October is over. *Confession, I haven’t even bought a pumpkin!* Life has just flown by for my family this month but I am GRATEFUL it is about time to review our families words to cultivate thankfulness. I believe it is so important to teach your children the definitions of gratitude and thankfulness and to me November is the perfect month to discuss these virtues. Whether the discussions happen around the dinner table, a cozy fire, on the couch after a movie, or warm breakfast mornings. We naturally want to snuggle more and be close when it is cooler and darker longer so I think this time of the year makes it a little easier to discuss topics that don’t come naturally (to most children or even adults).
So here is my own, unique collection of words to cultivate thankfulness. I hope they inspire you to cultivate a heart of gratitude this Thanksgiving season and beyond – whatever your own words are.
For the littlest people in our family we start with a simple definition of thankfulness. Our children are expected to memorize this definition every year. I love this definition from A Child’s Book of Character Building, it defines thankfulness and reminds you that an action is required: speak it out! Its a good reminder that no one knows you are grateful unless you TELL them.
Thankfulness is being grateful and saying so.
To help further define thankfulness I have a few “I will” statements I like my children to recite with me throughout November. They come from a simple PDF called Little Lads and Ladies I found for free once upon a time. Now, you can purchase the final and revised edition yourself, here.
I will choose to see the good.
I will say thank you.
I will count my blessings.
Memorizing, myself, quotations from the past are also ways I reinforce the definition of thankfulness. I hope when our children are older we can have lively discussions about these quotations and their authors. But for now I simply recite them to my children. Our oldest may memorize them this year.
“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others”
—Marcus Tillius Cicero
“Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into tranquil joy.”
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Reciting or memorizing a fun thanksgiving themed poem is also a great way to reinforce gratitude and thankfulness. This one is very simple (I still have 3 children under 6), so if you have older children you may want to find something a little more intriguing.
Thanksgiving by Ivy O. Eastwick
Thank you for all my hands can hold—apples red, and melons gold, yellow corn both ripe and sweet, peas and beans so good to eat!
Thank you for all my eyes can see—lovely sunlight, field and tree, white cloud-boats in sea-deep sky, spring bird and butterfly.
Thank you for all my ears can hear—birds’ song echoing far and near, songs of little stream, big sea, cricket, bullfrog, duck and bee!
Finally, I love to read the story behind the hymn, Count Your Blessings by Johnson Oatman, Jr., and try our hand at singing it together throughout November. If you don’t know the story you can find it in the book, Then Sings My Soul, it is powerful. My favorite stanza is the first one and it is so powerful to read to your children, especially if your family has gone through a tough time.
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
when you are discouraged thinking all is lost,
count your many blessings;
Name them one by one,
and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done
I hope these words inspire you this month and beyond to help cultivate your own heart and those around towards thankfulness. I’d love to know if any of these words speak to you. You can follow me on IG @livvyroberts
