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Hey, everyone, welcome back to We are the Hands Ends.
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We are so glad you're here with us today. If
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you're new, We're a big, busy family that loves to
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talk about all things parenting, family life, and the chaos
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that comes with raising kids. Today's topic is an important one,
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teaching our kids to be thankful for what they have
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without guilt. This is something we've had to navigate with
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our kids, especially in a world where they're constantly exposed
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to what others have or don't have. Gratitude is a
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value we want to instill in our children, but we
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also don't want them to feel guilty for their blessings.
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So how do we teach them to be grateful in
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a healthy way. That's what we're diving into today. Well, guys, first,
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let's talk about why gratitude is so important. When our
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kids learn to appreciate what they have, it helps them
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in so many ways. Gratitude builds contentment and helps them
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avoid entitlement and even makes them happier. But sometimes kids
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feel bad when they realize not everyone has the same
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things they do. They might feel guilty when they see
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a friend struggling, or they might even hesitate to enjoy
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something special because they think it's unfair. We want to
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help our kids develop a heart of gratitude while also
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understanding that they don't need to carry guilt for what
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they do have. And you know, let's break it down.
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Some practical ways that we teach our kids to be
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thankful without feeling bad about it is one gratitude brings joy,
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not comparison. One of the biggest things we can teach
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our kids is that gratitude isn't about comparing themselves to others.
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It's about focusing on what's good in their own lives.
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And sometimes it's hard when they start feeling guilty because
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someone else has less. We can remind them that their
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gratitude doesn't take away from someone else's experience. It just
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helps them appreciate what they do have. A great way
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to reinforce us is to have them share one thing
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they're thankful for each day, big or small, doesn't matter.
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Maybe it's a warm bed, which most kids have. Maybe
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it's their favorite book, which we have tons of favorite books,
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but one book or a fun time that we had
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with our family. Over time, they'll learn that gratitude isn't
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about being better off than someone else, it's about appreciating
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what they already have in front of them. Number two.
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H gratitude leads to generosity. One thing we've taught our
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kids is that when they're grateful, it often inspires them
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to give. And my kids have a heart of gold.
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Any old toys they have or clothes they want to
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give to somebody that doesn't have, and I love it,
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not out of guilt, but out of kindness. And if
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they're thankful for a closet full of clothes, maybe they
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can pick out a few things and donate it. And
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my kids do that all the time. If they're grateful
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for a warm home, maybe they can help with a
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service project for families in need. We have not done that.
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We have given to homeless, but I guess that could
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kind of be considered that. The goal is to teach
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them that gratitude and generosity go hand in hand, but
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generosity should come from a place of love guilt, and
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we want them to give because they want to, not
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because they feel like they have to in order to
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justify what they have. Number three. What we have comes
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from hard work and love. And this is a big
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one in our family. We tell our kids that the
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things we have, whether it's a nice meal, a family vacation,
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or just a comfortable home, that is all here because
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someone worked hard for it and maybe sacrifices. And me
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and my husband work hard for everything our kids have
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and everything we have. It's not something they should feel
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guilty about, but rather something they should appreciate. We also
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make sure that they understand that nom or how much
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or how little someone has, their worth isn't based on
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their belongings. We are valuable because of who we are,
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not because of what we own. And we tell our
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kids that every day. You know, because we drive the
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streets here and my kids see homeless and they feel
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horrible for them. So when we do see homeless, not
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all homeless do we stop and give to if we
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have one approach us, Like we had some approach us
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about getting blankets, food, money and they were willing to
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work for it. We did not give them money, but
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we did help with blankets because it was cold outside.
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And my kids learned that if we have to give
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we if somebody else needs it, we're going to give it.
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Number four, make the most out of what you have.
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And I tell my kids that all the time. We
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want our kids to take care of and enjoy what
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they have been given. Whether it's their toys, their clothes,
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or their friendships or their tablets, the little things we
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want them to be grateful for, and being thankful means
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treating those things with care, taking care of that stuff
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and not destroying it or letting somebody else destroy it.
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When they appreciate something, they're less likely to take it
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for granted or waste it. For example, when our kids
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got a new toy or a piece of clothing, we
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encouraged them to take good care of it rather than
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just move on and wanting the next thing. We talk
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about how being thankful means making the most of what
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you have instead of always chasing more. My girls are
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big into reborn else the two youngest, and anytime they
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see a new one or one that they want, they say,
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we want this one, and I'm like, well you already
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have some, Well we want another one to add, And
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I'm always telling them be thankful for the ones you
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do have, because those are very nice dolls, and if
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you take care of them, they will last until you
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have children and you can pass them babies down to
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your children. Number five, Gratitude doesn't mean ignoring others' struggles.
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Some kids worry about being happy about what they have,
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they're ignoring people who are struggling. We help them understand
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that it's okay to be both thankful and compassionate. For example,
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if they notice a friend who doesn't have as much,
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instead of feeling bad, they can be kind and supportive.
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They can include that friend, share something small, or simply
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be there for them. We don't have to feel guilty
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for our own blessings. We can use them to bring
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joy to other people, whether it's kids, teens, adults, whatever,
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we can use that to bring joy to them. You know,
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anytime I see one of my children's friends that doesn't
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have a lot, I've seen it a few times, and
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you can tell because, for instance, my kids's tablets. When
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my children have a friend over and maybe their parents
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don't have the money to buy them a tablet, or
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maybe they just don't want them on you know, games
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or whatnot, whatever it may be, and I've just seen
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this happen them. Kids want to play on my children's
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tablet the whole time they are here, and I'm always like,
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put it away, put it away, let's play a game,
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let's do something other than that, they don't want to
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get off of it. And when I ask them, do
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you have a tablet at home you plan? They say no,
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So I know that they don't have it, so it's
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something new to that child, or maybe they just don't
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get to plan one often. But my kids are always like,
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I feel bad, we should give them our tablet and
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get a new one. And it's not that simple a
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lot of times, because if they got a tablet, either
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they got it for a gift or maybe they worked
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for it or something, and us as parents, we work
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hard for everything our children get, so those things are
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not cheap. And I try to tell my kids, you know,
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we can't just go out and buy a new one
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because your friend doesn't have one. Maybe we can figure
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out something else. So you know, we have to appreciate
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what we have and what we're given, which are our blessings,
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and we can still bring joy to others in different
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ways regardless. So when I talk to my kids, I
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always bring up be thankful for what you have, because
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like Torren the other day, she wants a new baby doll,
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and I'm always telling her, you have so many babies
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torn and she said, but I really want this one,
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and I tell her be thankful what you have, because
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some kids do not have nice dolls like you. Some
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kids don't have nice toys like you. Her and my
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Anna are the two that would give a brand new
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dollarway to somebody that doesn't have rather than go through
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their old toys and give somebody. But I tell them,
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you keep your new dolls, and you go through you're old,
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and whatever ones you don't play with anymore, put in
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a bag, and any of the other toys you don't want,
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put in a bag, and we will take them and
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give them to somebody in need, because there's always somebody,
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some child out there that needs it, and they always
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want to go through their toys, which I'm okay with
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that because my kids do have a ton of toys.
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And our boys are the same way. If they see
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a person that is homeless and they're standing there asking
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for food or money or anything, my boys will definitely
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be ones to go into the gas station, get them
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food and bring it to them because that is how
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they were raised. If you have the extra money and
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you can help somebody and bless them with something, do it.
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If you don't have the money and you can't bless them,
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pray for them. There is always good things that come
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with prayer. The power of prayer is huge. So before
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I wrap this up, I want to share a few
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practical ways that we can build graditude into our everyday
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lives with our kids, and one is gratitude jars or journals.
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Have each kid write down one thing they are thankful
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for every day and put it in a jar or
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a journal. That's a great way to see the good
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in their lives. They can always reflect back onto that
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later on in life and see what they were grateful
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for and cherish it. Number two family gratitude talks at
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dinner or bedtime. Take turn sharing something good about the day.
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It doesn't have to be big. Sometimes the little things
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matter more and the most Number three model it ourselves.
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Our kids learned by watching us as parents, and the
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littler ones also watch their older siblings and they learn
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from that. If they see us being grateful with our guilt,
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they'll follow our lead. Kids are like sponges. They take
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everything in. Number four, service projects as a family, finding
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ways to help others can reinforce gratitude in a meaningful way.
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Volunteering together teaches kids that giving is an act of love,
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not obligation. And number five, encouraging thank you moments. Teaching
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kids to say thank you for everyday things like a meal,
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a gift, or even just a kind act helps them
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build the habit of appreciation. Teaching our kids to be
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thankful without guilt is a process, but it is such
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an important lesson. Gratitude helps them find joy, appreciate hard work,
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and become more giving, all while understanding that their worth
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isn't tied to their possessions. If you have any tips
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or stories about teaching gratitude in your own family, we
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would definitely love to hear them. You can contact us
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on our Facebook page We are the Hansens and send
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us a message there, or you can send us an
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email at we are the Hansons show at gmail dot
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com and please go and subscribe to our we are
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the Hansens you tube channel. Thanks for joining us. We
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are the Hansens. Until next time, let's keep building grateful,
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joyful families together,