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Parenting tips straight from the classroom!

It’s November! And it’s the perfect time to teach your child about gratitude!

Gratitude isn’t a once-a-year feeling … it’s a routine we model every day. Just like washing hands or saying “please,” thankfulness can become a habit children naturally pick up when they see it practiced consistently.

Make It Part of the Rhythm

Little ones learn through repetition and rhythm. They thrive on what happens again and again. That’s why gratitude sticks best when it shows up in the same way every day, just like brushing teeth or saying bedtime prayers.

Try weaving it into your family flow:

  • A “thank you” before snack time 🍎

  • A quick gratitude moment after school (“What was something good that happened today?”)

  • Or a shout-out before bed: “Who helped you today?”

The goal isn’t to check off a list — it’s to make gratitude feel natural. Over time, it becomes the background music of your home.

Model the Talk, Not the Task

Here’s a classroom secret: we don’t force gratitude, we model it. Kids absorb what they see. When you say, “I’m thankful you shared your toy with your sister,” you’re teaching emotional awareness and empathy at the same time.

Instead of telling them to “say thank you,” let them hear gratitude in your tone, your patience, and your reactions. The modeling does the work. 💛

Anchor It in Real Life

Keep it simple and connected to your real routines. Gratitude can show up while folding laundry (“I’m thankful for clean socks!”), at dinner (“That spaghetti was chef’s kiss!”), or even in the carpool line (“I’m thankful for good music and short lines”).

Kids don’t need perfect words, they just need consistent examples.

Wrap-Up

Gratitude isn’t a performance. It’s a rhythm. And the more we practice it out loud, the more our kids start to sprinkle it back.

Try adding one tiny gratitude routine this week — and don’t be surprised when you hear your little one echoing it back:
“Thanks, Mommy!”
That’s when you know it’s working. 🥰

Want to know more? Check out my blog page!

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Playful Learning at Home: Thanksgiving

Here’s an activity you can try over the Thanksgiving holidays:

Thankful Hand Turkey

  1. Grab a piece a paper and trace your or your child’s hand on it.

  2. On the thumb, draw the facial features of a turkey: beak, eyes, waddle, etc.

  3. On the remaining four fingers, write something that they are thankful for. Decorate your Thankful Turkey by coloring the “finger feathers”, body, and adding feet.

  4. Hang your turkey on the refrigerator for everyone to see and enjoy!

Extension:

🎯Turn it into a family activity! Have everyone participate and create their own.

For more simple, at-home learning activities, check out my blog post!

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