7 things to teach your children when receiving gifts from others

How to teach kids about gratitude while not forcing them to say "Thank you" is a common concern of most parents.

Teaching children to be grateful and polite is not an overnight thing, but a long process. In this process, patience is key. According to experts, you should follow these 7 steps.

Early start

According to Dr., child psychologist Terrie Rose (USA), parents can start to instill gratitude in their children from an early age. While saying please and thank you to a baby may seem funny, she says, children learn the language of appreciation through it. Using kind and gentle words with your child will increase their sense of connection and love with the people around them.

Be a good role model

You can't teach your child to be polite when you don't model similar behaviour. Therefore, it's a good idea to say "please" and "thank you," and show gratitude whenever people give you gifts, including when your child gives you gifts. You can say thank you when family members cook meals for the whole family or thank children when they rub your shoulders... Be sincere: "Thank you. Mom/Dad appreciates and appreciates you." that high". Children will learn through it how to express gratitude.

Don't focus on the gift

Children should be directed to focus on the thoughtfulness of the giver rather than the gift itself. Avoid commenting on how large or expensive the gift is. Instead of just praising the item, talk about how much time and effort the giver put into choosing the gift. This will also help your child see the value of the effort.

Young children may not fully understand this, says Dr. McCoy. Therefore, parents should talk more for children to understand.

Remind children not to have a sulky attitude when gifts are not satisfied

If children expect to receive certain gifts of value or interest, they may be disappointed when expectations are not met. In this case, parents should teach their children that every gift should be valued, no matter what it is.

Ask the children how they feel when they receive the gift

After telling your child how much effort the buyer put into the gift, you should ask him how he feels. According to Dr. Rose, asking this question helps children establish an emotional connection, helping them build awareness of emotional expressions of gratitude and joy.

However, you need to keep in mind, the best time to ask questions is not the moment they receive the gift but during the time when it is just you and the child.

Tell your child that there are other ways to express gratitude

If your child is a bit shy, you can tell her that there are different ways to show their appreciation and gratitude to the gift giver.

Of course, the most common and simplest way is to say "thank you" but children can also have other ways they like, for example going to high fives, hugs, kisses on the cheek... the giver as a way of thanking or Make them a card. It's important not to force your child to say, "Thank you," mechanically.

Give your child the opportunity to prepare gifts for others

Parents should involve their children in the gift-giving process by letting them choose a gift. This will help them understand the effort when choosing a gift, helping them understand how a person feels when the gift they give is not appreciated.

What if the child doesn't like the gift?

How can you teach your children to be grateful to grandma for the ugly hat she knitted for them?

In this case, instead of forcing the child to like the hat or say thank you to the giver, parents should emphasize the importance of showing appreciation for the kindness or thoughtfulness of the giver. You can say to your child, "I know the hat isn't your thing, but we still need to thank Grandma, because she worked so hard to make it for you."

Teaching children about the importance of gratitude and encouraging them to share it will always take time and effort, rather than just reminding them to say "thank you". However, once they understand the importance of showing appreciation for the kindness of others, children will develop much better than children who simply thank to please others.