The only safe strategy is to give cash. The rich and warming emotion of real appreciation is more and more giving way to an entitlement mentality. Thus, even highly polite children today are more likely to say they are thankful than to actually feel it. You see, gratitude doesn't come naturally and, in fact, in an atmosphere where youngsters feel entitled to everything they get and a good deal more, genuine thankfulness is a rarity. We need to be explicit and uncompromising in attempts to nurture feelings of gratitude.
Sincere gratitude is itself an act of respect and kindness but it is also a wonderful source of joy.
Dr. Tom Costa, a minister, quotes a parishioner who observed, You can't be grateful and unhappy at the same time. For KNX 1070, this is Michael Josephson reminding you to make a special effort to teach and model gratitude because character counts. Jimmy's Pencil Holder J immy's dad was very proud of his new promotion and the big office that came with it. Jimmy told his kindergarten teacher about the office and said he wanted to make a present for his dad. He decided on a pencil holder for the desk and he carefully picked and painted and glued Popsicle sticks around a can and wrote Love, Jimmy on the bottom.