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When children are young, they don’t always understand the importance of showing gratitude. For this reason, it’s crucial to foster empathy and social skills during early childhood development. Recognizing the feelings of others and properly responding in turn will help your young one grow into a kind, polite, and engaging individual. Here’s how you can encourage gratitude in your child.

Simple Ways to Teach Gratitude to Children

1. Say Please & Thank You

The best way to learn a skill is through lots of practice. Use “please” and “thank you” often when appropriate, and be sure to drill it into your child’s vocabulary. The sooner into early childhood development you implement these phrases, the more likely they will be to stick.

2. Give Gentle Reminders

Nobody learns how to be grateful in a day. Your child may express appreciation just fine one week, and then forget to do so the next. All you need to do is give them a gentle reminder. When they receive their food from a waiter or a birthday present from a grandparent, ask, “Can you say, ‘Thank you?’” or “Now, what do you say?” This will remind them of their manners.

3. Teach Through Example

early childhood developmentChildren pay more attention to the actions of their parents than you might think. Openly express gratitude—to your child as well as others—and the habit will rub off on them. The season of gift-giving is the perfect time to teach through example. Enthusiastically thank family and friends for Christmas presents in front of your child, and soon enough, you’ll see them do the same.

4. Role-Play Interactions

When the gratitude doesn’t seem to be coming out naturally, acting out interactions may help. Hands-on learning is effective during early childhood development. Use your child’s toys or dolls to role-play possible scenarios. For example, you can play groceries with a toy cash register, and make sure the “customer” thanks the “cashier.” You could also take turns having a doll give your child a small gift or snack and vice versa to practice their “Thank yous.”

5. Volunteer Together

Volunteering for local organizations is an excellent way to make a difference while teaching your child some valuable lessons in early childhood development. Ask your young one to help you gather clothes and toys for donation, or volunteer to serve meals to low-income families. Discuss why the cause means so much to you and ingrain the importance of giving back. Your child will learn to appreciate what they have.

 

If you’re searching for a learning center that imparts confidence, faith, honesty, and gratitude onto children, look no further than Christian Chapel Day Care. Based in La Crosse County, WI, this day care emphasizes the compassion and social skills necessary to lead a prosperous academic career. Early childhood development is a critical stage for learning, so these highly trained teachers are committed to giving children a valuable educational experience. Call (608) 783-5722 for enrollment information. Visit their website to learn more about their curriculum.

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