We’ve all said it, or at the very least thought it. In a moment of frustration and disappointment, when we’re in absolute awe as to why our kids aren’t showing appreciation for all that’s being done for or given to them.
But being grateful is not innate. And it most definitely isn’t easy for adults, let alone our little ones. Feeling gratitude requires children to use a variety of complex social emotional skills that need to be taught through ongoing modeling and practice. The kicker? When they do start to feel and understand what it means to be grateful, the benefits can be huge.
We all know there are countless benefits to children having a healthy relationship with their grandparents, but some aspects of that relationship can cause a bit of strife between mom and dad and grandma and grandpa.
It is no surprise that when kids are with their grandparents they are much more likely to get what they ask for (the word “spoiled” is often used). This can be a good thing, as kids feel special, but it can also step on parents’ toes and strain that relationship if it goes too far.
When you think of your grandparents, what memories come to mind?
Being taught how to measure while baking in the kitchen with grandma? Walking around the garden learning about how things grow with grandpa? You may not have known it at the time, but the hours spent with the elders in your family helped to shape who you are today.
Let’s face it, the past two years have been difficult for everyone. Your schedules have been upended by COVID restrictions and your children’s learning has been impacted in many ways. You’ve worked hard just to get through daily life with the realities of a pandemic.
So, it’s possible that some of the concerns you’d normally have for your children’s social development have paled in light of your concerns with reading, writing, and math learning. Still, we all want our children to know how to be kind, caring, and compassionate individuals. Further, we worry about the bullies of the world and what their anger and frustration may mean in the lives of our kids.
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