Search Results for: blog the importance of gratitude

Teaching Children Gratitude

This time of year is a great time to focus on being thankful. It is also a good time to teach your children to be thankful, and to set up traditions and habits that can carry gratitude over into the entire year. Here are four ways that you can show your gratitude and teach your children to do the same. One way you can do this is to start a family tradition of sharing three things you are grateful for at Sunday dinner each day. This is carrying the Thanksgiving tradition of expressing thanks throughout the year. If you give … Continue reading →

Finding Gratitude

Christmas is one of the most special days of the year, but it is hard to deal with that letdown feeling that comes either that day or a day or two later. It seems that all the rush, and gift giving can become too overwhelming, and you just end up feeling tired and stressed. There are a few ways to combat that, and they all deal with gratitude. The first thing you may want to do is take a few minutes to write in your journal about all the things that you are grateful for. Look beyond the gifts that … Continue reading →

Emphasize Gratitude Through the Holidays

While we each take time to express gratitude on Thanksgiving this is an important thing to continue to do throughout the year. As a family you may want to take the time to stress the importance of gratitude throughout the holiday season. This may help your children cope with the many pressures of commercialism that your children deal with on a regular basis. Here are five ideas for extending gratitude through the holidays. 1) You can have a gratitude jar. Each day each family member will write down what they were grateful for that day. On Christmas Eve you may … Continue reading →

Show a Little Gratitude

Do you know someone who is happiest when they are complaining about something? There are people who just seem to enjoy talking negatively about their problems. They manage to find at least one thing wrong with everything. I know that I have personally experienced times in my life when I have felt that everything was turning out the wrong way. In my prayers I know I must have sounded like a complainer as I asked for solutions and guidance. Have you ever met anyone who manages to find a positive in every single situation? I know some pretty positive people, … Continue reading →

Gratitude

I have been thinking lately of being able to find gratitude in all the situations that I am in. I think that this is a really important skill to develop, although there are times when it is difficult to find something to be grateful for. I have found that it is easier for me to find blessings after a trial is over, then it is for me to find the blessings while I am going through it. One focus that helps you to find and express gratitude is to enjoy each moment of your life. If you are always focused … Continue reading →

General Conference: “Gratitude: A Path to Happiness”

In her talk “Gratitude: A Path to Happiness” Sister Bonnie D Parkin speaks of the importance of gratitude. Sister Parkin emphasizes that without gratitude it is difficult to feel the spirit. It is important to acknowledge the Lord’s hand in your life. Sister Parkin also mentions the blessings of the Relief Society. Sister Parkin shares a story about the blessing basket. Every evening her family would discuss the blessings of the day and add them to their “blessing basket.” This helped them to find things to be grateful for. It also helped her family feel how much Heavenly Father loved … Continue reading →

The Importance of a Parent

The family is an essential organization in the church. The role of parent is a vital role. When you are a parent you are responsible to teach and guide your children so that they can learn the truth. Then they can choose to take the path to Heavenly Father. It is important that you take the time each day to teach your children the gospel. Often you are teaching your children without realizing it through your actions. Here are five things to think about when interacting with your children. 1) Your children will learn from your actions. If you take … Continue reading →

Focusing on Gratitude

Gratitude is an easy virtue to practice when things are going the way that you want them to. Little children learn at young age to say thank you for gifts and compliments. This type of gratitude develops naturally. In a positive situation it is easy to find thinks to thank Heavenly Father for. It is easy to find your blessings and acknowledge them. However when you are going through a difficult time or a struggle, it may not be as easy to develop your gratitude. While it may be more difficult it is just as important that you work to … Continue reading →

Are You Too Critical?

How often do you start the day with a morning lecture? My 8-year-old daughter’s answer:  “Too many!” She’s probably right. If she asks for help locating her backpack, I spend five minutes “suggesting” that she hang it in the back hall where she can easily find it. If she complains about taking the same home lunch to school every day I “propose” that she expand her palate because there’s only so much I can do with strawberries, crackers and plain chicken. When she whines about not having enough time to eat a leisurely breakfast before school I “recommend” moving up … Continue reading →

The Thank-You Threat

First, it was the Santa threat, and now on this 12th day of Christmas, the Feast of the Epiphany, it’s time for the thank-you threat. We have a firm rule in our home regarding Christmas thank-you cards.  The notes of appreciation need to be written by the Epiphany.  This gives the child recipients more than a week to express their gratitude in words to friends and family members who generously showered them with holiday gifts. My mom was a stickler for thank-you notes, Christmas, birthday and otherwise.  In fact, my brothers and I were not allowed to open Christmas gifts … Continue reading →