JW.ORG Jehovah’s Witnesses Select language English Log In (opens new window) Search HOME BIBLE TEACHINGS LIBRARY NEWSROOM ABOUT US Bible Teachings Marriage & Family READ IN HELP FOR THE FAMILY | PARENTING Teach Your Children to Show Gratitude Play Current time 0:00 Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% Duration 0:00 Mute Download Audio Audio download options Teach Your Children to Show Gratitude Studies indicate that grateful people are happier and healthier, cope better with adversity, and have stronger friendships. Researcher Robert A. Emmons notes that being grateful “protects a person from the destructive impulses of envy, resentment, greed, and bitterness.” * How do children benefit from being grateful? In a four-year study of 700 youths, those with a grateful attitude were less likely to cheat on tests, abuse drugs and alcohol, or have behavioral problems. An attitude of entitlement weakens gratitude. Many children feel that they are owed the good things that happen to them. There is little room for gratitude when a blessing is viewed as a paycheck rather than as a gift. That attitude is rampant today. “Our world is a workshop in entitlement,” observes a mother named Katherine. “The media bombards us with images of all the things we ‘deserve’ and tells us we should be first to get those things.” Gratitude can be instilled early in life. A mother named Kaye observes: “Children are malleable. Teaching them good habits while they’re young is like using stakes to help a plant grow straight.” How to teach gratitude Teach the vocabulary. Even young children can learn to say thank you when someone gives them a gift or shows them kindness. As they grow and mature, they will gradually come to appreciate the generosity of others even more deeply. Bible principle: “Show yourselves thankful.”—Colossians 3:15. “Our three-year-old grandson freely says ‘thank you,’ and each request ends with ‘please.’ He learned that from his parents. Their manners and expressions of thanks are teaching him to show gratitude.”—Jeffrey. Teach the actions. Why not have your children write a thank-you note the next time someone gives them a present? Also, if you assign chores to your children, you will help them appreciate the effort it takes to keep a household functioning. Bible principle: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”—Acts 20:35. “Our two teenagers contribute to the family by planning meals, cooking, and doing chores. That helps them appreciate the effort that we put forth as parents, and they’re less likely to take these things for granted.”—Beverly. Teach the attitude. Think of gratitude as a plant that thrives in the soil of humility. Humble people recognize that they need help to succeed at any endeavor, and that makes them grateful to others for the support they receive. Bible principle: “With humility consider others superior to you, as you look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.”—Philippians 2:3, 4. “Sometimes we play the ‘appreciation game’ at dinner. Each person takes a turn relating something that he or she is thankful for. It gets everyone thinking positive, grateful thoughts rather than negative, selfish ones.”—Tamara. Tip: Set the example. Children will more easily learn to be grateful if they hear you regularly express your gratitude to others—and to them. What parents say “My wife and I taught our children to write thank-you letters. That practice helps children remember that others don’t have to give them gifts or do things for them. Givers deserve to be thanked for their kindness.”—Jeffrey, with his wife, Karen. “If we teach children to say please and thank you as soon as they are able to, then it will be easier to mold them into being appreciative children who will later become appreciative adults.”—Susan, with her husband, Christopher. Review: Teach Your Children to Show Gratitude Teach the vocabulary. Even young children can be taught to say thank you for the kindnesses shown to them. Teach the actions. Show your children how to write a thank-you note for gifts they receive. Doing chores will help them understand the effort that goes into running a household. Teach the attitude. Humility will help your children view their achievements as a team effort, and they will be grateful for the support they receive from others. Related Topics Raising Children Learn More AWAKE! Raising Considerate Children in a Me-First World Consider three areas where you can help your children avoid developing a me-first attitude. 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