We grew up hearing that “please” is the magic word we should always say to people, but what about thank you? Why isn't this very important word often taught? This word is not only a way of showing education, but also gratitude for the act performed. So, if you are a parent, check out in today's article how to teach your child to say “thank you”” and demonstrate the beautiful feeling that is gratitude.
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The importance of gratitude
According to the doctor. Mayara Mendez, coordinator of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Program and Mental health at the Providence Saint John Child and Family Development Center, gratitude is very important, but we often forget to teach it to our children.
Teaching a child to say “thank you” is much more difficult than teaching them to say “please”. Bear in mind that in order to receive something, she needs to ask for a favor, but the thank you only comes after the child already has what she wanted in her hands. With that, the right thing is not to chase her to say some magic word, but to teach her to mean it, that is, to make it a habit.
According to Dr. Mendez, the ideal is not to force your child to say “thank you”, but to teach him to be grateful for what has been done for him. Therefore, it is important that this practice begins at home, preferably between parents. For example, start thanking your husband for something he did, or your wife for something she did. Showing gratitude in front of the child is essential for them to understand the true value of this genuine feeling.
Another interesting technique, but for those with small children, is to start playing with the child with dolls or characters that he like it and, with that, teach through play the value of saying the magic word, but with a true feeling of gratitude.
Teaching gratitude is essential for a child's personal growth, because anyone who knows this feeling, recognizes the lack of it, and this helps to filter relationships in a healthy and independent.
