Teaching Children Gratitude: Why It Matters

This month, we are celebrating “Thankful 30” to practice gratitude for November. Throughout the month, team members will help children fill out leaves with something they are grateful for using words, pictures, or drawings. By the end of the month, we will have a wall filled with goodness!

What is Gratitude?

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful: recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects of life. It shows up across cultures, and it can change how we experience daily life.

Why Practice Gratitude?

Improved Mental Health: Studies, including research by Emmons and McCullough (2003), have shown that practicing gratitude is one of the most reliable methods for increasing happiness and life satisfaction. It boosts feelings of optimism, joy, pleasure, enthusiasm, and other positive emotions. Gratitude has also been found to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Enhanced Physical Health: Research by Mills et al. (2015) suggests that gratitude strengthens the immune system, lowers blood pressure, and reduces symptoms of illness. It even makes us less bothered by aches and pains. People who practice gratitude are more likely to engage in regular exercise and take better care of their overall health.

Better Sleep: Studies, such as the one conducted by Wood et al. (2009), found that individuals who maintained a gratitude journal for just 15 minutes before bedtime experienced improved sleep quality and duration. So, if you’re looking to sleep more soundly, consider counting your blessings instead of sheep!

Gratitude Helps Us “Pay It Forward”: Grateful people tend to be happier, more helpful, altruistic, and compassionate. They are more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, even when faced with unkindness from others.

The Benefits of Gratitude for Children

Improved Emotional Well-being: Teaching children gratitude from a young age can support their emotional well-being. When kids learn to appreciate the positives in their lives, they are better equipped to manage stress and cope with challenges.

Enhanced Learning: Research by Froh et al. (2011) suggests that gratitude in children is associated with improved academic performance. Grateful students tend to be more engaged, motivated, and resilient in their studies.

Stronger Social Bonds: Practicing gratitude helps children develop empathy and stronger social bonds. It encourages them to express appreciation and kindness towards others, which builds positive relationships with peers and family members. Our guide to nurturing positivity on the autism journey offers related family practices.

At Orchid, we practice gratitude ourselves and teach it to our learners, and we see these benefits show up in our learners and in our team.

References:

Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377-389.

Mills, P. J., Redwine, L., Wilson, K., & Pung, M. A. (2015). The Role of Gratitude in Spiritual Well-being in Asymptomatic Heart Failure Patients. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 2(1), 5-17.

Wood, A. M., Joseph, S., & Lloyd, J. (2009). Gratitude influences sleep through the mechanism of pre-sleep cognitions. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 66(1), 43-48.

Froh, J. J., Sefick, W. J., & Emmons, R. A. (2011). Counting blessings in early adolescents: An experimental study of gratitude and subjective well-being. Journal of School Psychology, 49(2), 177-191.

Sincerely,