Practicing Gratitude

What do we have to be grateful for? How does being thankful and appreciative help us in these chaotic COVID-19 days? How does it help our children? In psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with happiness. It helps people feel more positive emotions like joy and optimism and banish negative emotions to improve mental health. It improves our ability to deal with adversity and build strong relationships.

Gratitude can make you appreciate what you have and not what you don’t have. It can make you healthier by improving immune systems, decreasing blood pressure and improving sleep. Showing gratitude increases resilience. Families and individuals can express gratitude by performing random acts of kindness, telling someone how much you love and care for them, complimenting others, sharing gratitude and simply enjoying the little things. Families can establish a gratitude jar, box or journal for members to contribute to.

Another idea is a gratitude sharing  opportunity at meal times. We can reassure our children that there is much to be grateful for in the midst of these unusual times. Health care workers, grocery store workers, truckers bringing supplies of food, those delivering food to our door, our neighbours who call to see how we are, police officers and fire fighters, and governments responding with financial aid are but a few. There is good news going on in the world.

Parents can also practice savoring the positive moments they are experiencing. Savoring intensifies and lengthens the positive emotions that come with doing something that they love or is giving them pleasure. Savor that moment when you experienced joy in engagement with your children in a fun activity. Savor the time spent outdoors in the sun. Savor the quiet moments when the children go to sleep. Sneak in and savor their tranquil faces. Model savoring to your children and help them learn this important life skill.

Written by Joyce Williams, Parent Support Coach