The Power of Gratitude
With the start of a new month, there couldn’t be a better time to discuss the power of gratitude. Research has shown that showing gratitude has many individual benefits including better physical health, improved life satisfaction/happiness, less materialism, better sleep, less stress, improved self-esteem and better overall mental health 1,2. Gratitude also has a positive social impact. Experts say that it increases prosocial behaviour, improves workplace environments, helps to form and maintain relationships, and it increases workplace performance 1. With our “new normal”, gratitude couldn’t be more important.
As gratitude can help to ease stress and anxiety, now more than ever teaching children how to be grateful may be a crucial skill to learn. There is a great article that provides some suggestions for practicing gratitude during COVID-19. For more in-depth information about gratitude in general, there is a wonderful book called “Making Grateful Kids - The Science of Building Character” and this video on fostering gratitude in kids also has some great ideas. I also love this diagram which provides a quick summary of five things that parents can do to foster gratitude.
I found some wonderful resources and ideas for teaching children about gratitude. There were even some great resources for teaching children with autism about how to be thankful. Here are just a few of my favourite resources:
● Gratitude Scavenger Hunt for kids - This site offers 20 ideas for things that kids could look for in regards to gratitude. It has a good infographic that would make a great fridge poster.
● Gratitude Journal - This site has a nice cover or you could create your own. The Greater Good Magazine has a nice article about tips for writing a gratitude journal and this blog has some great prompts for writing a gratitude journal.
● Saying Thank You Social Narrative For Children With Autism - This a good social story for teaching students with autism how to say thank you.
● Three Recipes For Showing Gratitude - The Autism Society of North Carolina put together these recipes for gratitude gifts that are at three different levels of difficulty. They also include a gratitude note page to go with the recipes.
● Gratitude Jar - I love this idea as it can keep the theme of gratitude going throughout the year. Whenever someone is feeling grateful they can write a gratitude note and put it in the jar. Reading some of the gratitude notes is a great way to cheer up your day if feeling sad or angry. It is a great reminder of all of the things we have to be grateful for. There is even an online gratitude jar that you may want to check out.
● Gratitude Unit Plan - This unit plan was created for older students, but I think that it could be adapted for the younger ones as well. It has some great activities and templates that could be used outside of the lesson plans.
● Class Dojo Gratitude Activities - There are some great activities and videos at this site.
I am thankful for knowing about the power of gratitude because it has reminded me to remember all of the positives in my life even when things are feeling negative - for as the writer William Arthur Ward once said, “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joys, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings”.
~ Happy Spring! Melissa
References:
The Science of Gratitude, UC Berkeley
7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude, Psychology Today