30 Days of Thanksgiving

This year we want to try out something new for the month of Thanksgiving. With the approach of November, we want to focus on everything we a grateful for. We have just been through Hurricane Sandy and have suffered a lot of misfortune. Therefore, it is the perfect time to refocus on everything that is going right in our lives.

FREE PRINTABLE

I created a printable to write down five things that we are grateful for each day. Its a simple little journal for them and possibly you, to do together. Let’s start a new tradition, and be grateful. Download your copy here.

How it went with Isabella

First, I was a little nervous about it. I thought she may be young to do this, but I was pleasantly surprised. At four years old she loves her journal! I have to help her though, she tells me what she is thankful for and I write it lightly on the page, she traces it because she is still learning to form her letters and she is still learning to spell.

How it has become part of our routine

Isabella is enjoying writing in her journal each day. She is enjoying it so much that it has become part of our bedtime routine. Something she gets ready to do every night before going to sleep. She started out listing family members she was thankful for, everyone from Mommy and Daddy all the way to Great Aunt and Uncles and Great Grandparents.

5 New Things

It is easy to be grateful for Mom, Dad, Brother, Home, Food every day. So in order to truly reflect on all the good in your life, you have to dig deep. You have to come up with 5 new things each day! Isabella has been grateful for people and for things she has done like dancing with daddy, and reading a story with mommy, or getting a perfect score on a song she played on the piano. She is thankful for toys, and games she plays during the day, and even the foods she eats and the clothes she wears. It makes her really think about everything she experienced during the day and find all the good.

Overall Thoughts

This is a great activity to instill the value of being grateful in children, including the “boring” everyday things. It also helps children practice writing and spelling. It is great for kids of all ages, okay almost all ages. If your child doesn’t write yet, they can dictate the things they are grateful for or draw pictures. This is also a great thing for parents to do. It helps us focus on the good things in our lives and good parts of our day. We should be thankful every day not just one day a year.

30 Days of Thanksgiving-Thanksgiving Journal

30 Days of Thanksgiving