How to Teach Your Child to Give Thanks

Give Praise

Giving thanks is an important part of life. So many times we see those who are not thankful, not grateful, but selfishly act as if everything should be given to them, whether they deserve it or not.

God has given us more than any person ever could even if we didn’t deserve any of it. From the death of His Son Jesus, to our every need being met, God supplies it all. For no reason other than that He gave us life we should praise and thank Him, but even more so for all he does for us daily.

“pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Do you teach your child to give thanks? How can you do so?

Teaching our children to give thanks is something we should definitely make a priority in our lives. There are various ways we can do so, from pointing out that God is the reason that we have certain things to actually leading them in a prayer of thanks.

Mealtime and bedtime prayers are a great place to start, but actually acknowledging God’s blessings in the mundane everyday things of life is even more important. This helps our “giving of thanks” to become less routine and planned to being more spontaneous and real.

Don’t forget to stop and honor God when a blessing occurs in your everyday life. Talk to your children about how God works and move in your own life to make them aware of His presence and His being deserving of their thanks.

One of the ways that I make sure I am thankful daily is by writing down my prayers as well as a list of things I am thankful for. Many people keep a gratitude journal with lists of things that they are thankful for daily. This is a great practice and can be used for children as well.

No matter how you teach them, just be sure it is an important part of your life, to teach your child to be thankful. It is never a bad trait to have.