Tri-Moms: Teaching the Meaning of Thanksgiving

Turkeys, pumpkins, pilgrims, oh my!
I have to admit that other than reading a few stories, our kids won't be learning a whole lots this year about "The First Thanksgiving." We will, however, be focusing on the act of thanksgiving.
The absolute best way we've found to teach our children to be thankful is to practice the discipline of thankfulness ourselves. Thanksgiving is a discipline. Our selfish beings do not naturally crave taking time to remember our blessings let alone stopping to acknowledge our thankfulness to others.
So, instead we have to purposefully strive to live in thankfulness each and every day. Is it always easy? Of course not! Does my mind automatically begin counting my blessings when the laundry mile threatens to overtake the bedroom or I'm called upon to referee yet another sibling squabble. No!
That is why thankfulness is a matter of discipline. When I want to pout and throw a pity party, I stop and remember that the never ending laundry pile means we have plenty of clothes to wear. When she fusses and he whines, I stop and remind myself of the little smiles, kisses, and "I love you's." 
When the whole world seems out to get me, I stop and remember that Jesus Christ left glory to come and make a way for me. Yes, selfish, imperfect, me. In light of all I've been given, my heart longs to rejoice in the blessings I've been given.

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When our children see us daily living out our gratitude to God and to those around us, they naturally grow in thankfulness.



Do they live it out perfectly? No. But slowly day in and day out we pray, we encourage, we remind. When we thank God for his blessings, and take time to name them out loud and really mean it, their little ears hear. When we receive an unexpected gift and our eyes well up with tears of gratitude, their little eyes see. When they carry fists full of flowers in from an afternoon of play, announcing that they picked them just for us and we hug their little bodies to our own, they feel it. 
Gratitude...thankfulness...Thanksgiving.
Here are a few fun ways to talk more about thankfulness with your kids this Thanksgiving:
:: Check out these awesome Thanksgiving rolls. (Just think thankfulness meets fortune cookie.)
:: Help little ones check off what they are thankful for with this "I'm Thankful For" Checklist

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:: or encourage your kids to make their own lists with this free printable

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Please visit my fellow Tri-Moms, Kristin @ Bits & Pieces from my Life and Christy @ A Living Homeschool to see how their teaching their children about the meaning of Thanksgiving. 

How are you encouraging your children to be thankful?

Up next: December 6
Homemade Gift Ideas

Winter Schedule of Topics
December 20: Focusing Our Hearts For Christmas

January 3: Time Management For Busy Moms

January 17: The Winter Blahs

February 7: Frugal Date Ideas

February 21: Romancing Your Husband

Shared at Gratituesday

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