NOVEMBER 2019
Topic: Gratitude
Description for Parents:
Given that this month we have “World Kindness Day” (Nov. 13) and for those celebrating Thanksgiving, it feels like a fitting time to discuss the power of gratitude. Gratitude involves taking a moment to be grateful for and appreciative of the good in our lives, including things we often take for granted. It’s important to specifically identify what you’re grateful for AND why. We can be grateful for anything, from the color of the fall leaves to specific members of our family.
Did you know that gratitude is actually beneficial to your well-being? Regular gratitude practices have been shown to improve mental, physical, and interpersonal outcomes. Just some of these include increased happiness, better relationships, and better health. That’s right folks, being regularly grateful can help you live longer and better!
Try it out and consider making this a weekly practice with your kids. If your child is grateful for a person, consider having them tell that person (in person, through a drawing, a letter, etc.). But know that gratitude practices work even in private, so don’t push them to tell someone if they aren’t comfortable. There are many ways to help your children express gratitude. Consider just talking about it, writing in a journal, a letter to someone, drawing about it, or any other creative way that works for your family.
Be careful not to judge how our kids express gratitude. Some young kids may not fully grasp the concept yet and that’s okay. Instead of focusing on what they are grateful for help them learn how to express that gratitude. A simple starter frame is: “I’m grateful/thankful for ____ because _____”. Some examples could be, “I’m grateful for this toy because it makes me happy to play with it”. Make sure to model expressions of gratitude for your kids. And remember to always keep this a positive and easy experience for them.
There are FREE workshops offered each month by the FCPS Parent Resource Center. Sessions fill up quickly, so register ASAP!
Upcoming workshops this month include:
- Parenting Through Challenging Times: Supporting Your Child Through Life’s Ups and Downs (Friday, November 22, 10am-12pm)
(To register & learn more, go to: https://www.fcps.edu/node/28019 )
PS, School Psychology Awareness Week (SPAW) is Nov. 11-15th! To learn more about what school psychologists do check out NASP at:
https://www.nasponline.org/about-school-psychology/who-are-school-psychologists
 |
|
November
21 Thanksgiving Luncheon
27 Student Holiday
28 Student Holiday
29 Student Holiday
|
 |
|
Please follow us @BonnieBraeES. We love to post the great and wonderful things that are happening in our school community! This is also a very quick way for us to get information to you!
|
|
