Grateful Kids Versus Gimme Kids

Have you ever noticed your kids showing signs of being spoiled or exhibiting a lack of gratitude? The story from this episode is from Abby, who said one of her sons commented about getting new carpet in their house as if it’s free. When our kids say things that sound spoiled or entitled, it could be from a lack of understanding of what things cost. But it also could be that they need to grow in the character trait of gratitude. Teaching kids gratitude takes work for parents, but it is possible.

Susan, Abby, Megan, and Chloe start the episode by chatting about their families’ Thanksgiving traditions that help shift the focus to gratitude instead of just food and football. What do you do to bring gratitude to mind? It’s definitely a battle with kids today since they’re conditioned to want instant gratification. So what does a grateful kid look like today? It’s more than just saying “thank you,” but those words do go a long way, especially when kids are responding to a service versus a gift.

If you realize your kids are spoiled, there’s hope. There are ways to teach gratitude, like assigning chores, allowing kids to work for big purchases, and making them suffer the consequences of laziness. And for the parents who like to hire away all the tough jobs, give them to your kids! Yes, this is much easier said than done, but if your kids have to mow the lawn, clean the toilets, and scrub the floors, they connect the person (them) to the process. It’s a great way to help them appreciate others’ hard work.