Experience the season of family & friends.

Raising Thankful Kids
While America toils in discontent, NOW is the time to remind ourselves what we should be thankful for: our lives, our health, our children. Yes, the economy is bad, but children don’t really understand these things. What they DO understand is Mom’s and Dad’s stress. Or that this year things aren’t quite as easy at home as they were in the past. Finding ways to raise thankful, empathetic children is harder than ever. But two easy steps you can take are in giving thanks audibly on a regular basis and in encouraging empathy. Learning to say, “Thank you,” comes from parents modeling this to their children. Empathy is a bit trickier. No matter how many sermons you give on “poor, starving children in the world” when your children don’t eat dinner, the quickest way to get kids to tune out is to lecture them on how they should feel. What we CAN do is encourage them to think about other people’s feelings. Steven Carr Reuben, Ph.D., author of Raising Ethical Children (Prima Lifestyles) says that in talking with children, it works best to ask them to respond to the question, “How would I like it if the situation were reversed?” Whether the issue is not bothering to write a thank you note to grandma for a birthday gift, or speaking rudely to a friend, asking, “How would you like it?” is a powerful question, far more effective than any parental pronouncement.

Instilling Gratitude ...
We live in a “me, me, me” society that makes it easy to get sucked into a black hole of thankless living, says Drew Leder, M.D., author of Games for the Soul: 40 Ways to Find Fun and Fulfillment in a Stressful World (Hyperion). Because of this, gratitude is counter cultural. For children to be grateful for what they have, parents need to begin early — as soon as verbal interaction begins — and continually reinforce it throughout adolescence. This is an ongoing operation that requires constant support and encouragement.
The bottom line, Leder says: Our children learn from everything we say and do. If we cheat, they’ll cheat. If we lie, they’ll lie. If we complain about all the things that we don’t have and choose to ignore what we do, then so will our children. Ingratitude is contagious and we risk raising ungrateful children if we’re not careful.

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Family Volunteer Opportunities

Here are some local places to introduce your children to the spirit of volunteerism:

Donelson Place Care and Rehabilitation Center
885-0483 • signaturehealthcarellc.com
Ages 14 and older can entertain elderly patients by playing games, reading to them and more. You can also take part in the Adopt-a-Grandparent program.

Hands-on Nashville
298-1108 • hon.org
On November 11, Hands-On Nashville launches a new website to serve Middle Tennessee’s volunteers. Hon.org will be “down” between Nov. 8 and 10, however a Hands-On Nashville “Holiday Volunteer Guide” will be in its place. Volunteering is available for ages 5 and older to help with Family Sort Nights for Second Harvest Food Bank, while Youth Volunteer Corps for ages 11 - 18 allows kids to sign
up for service projects.

Salvation Army
242-0411, ext. 109 • salarmy-nashville.org
All ages can ring bells for kettle collections. Teens can help sort and distribute Angel Tree donations.

Second Harvest Food Bank
329-3491 • secondharvestmidtn.org
Ages 12 and older can help sort and box food, and ages 9 and older can help pack backpacks on Thursday nights from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Walden’s Puddle
299-9938 • waldenspuddle.org
Ages 16 and older can help care for the animals by cleaning cages, feeding, assisting with public programs and more.

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