With the holidays upon us, we start to think about what we are thankful for. This is a great time to capture a teachable moment with children.

One of the ways to show children what they do have is to show them what others do not have. Volunteering to help the less fortunate, donating clothing or services, donating food to a local foodbank, or just taking a drive through areas that you usually don’t travel in are all ways that this can be done.

Children are born to be egocentric. I like to think of this as sort of living in a bubble. Children do not understand that the world is happening around them, even when they are not a part of it. Showing children places outside of their neighborhood is a great way to teach them what they really do have.

Another way to teach children to be thankful is to be thankful yourself. As adults, we struggle and sometimes at different points in our lives it is difficult to be thankful. Our children are always watching us. They learn from us by what we do and how we handle these difficult times.  Creating thankful children is way easier when they are being raised by the thankful adults in their lives.

Tara Hardy

Ready To Learn Outreach Coordinator,

Detroit Public Television