Elf on the Shelf: Revised
Add an extra (free!) twist to your Elf on the Shelf or Advent calendar tradition this year
Whether your family acknowledges Advent and/or has a family elf that happens to show up each morning in December, consider making one of these traditions into something a little more heartfelt and meaningful than a few squares of Hershey’s kisses or a mischievous prank. For each day in December, think outside of the box and challenge your kids to something kind for others. Isn’t that meant to be the spirit of Christmas, after all?
This is as easy of thinking up an act of kindness, writing it on a slip of paper, and slipping it into an Advent calendar drawer or under your family elf’s hand the night before. Examples include the following:
– Clean up a room of your house when mom and dad don’t even ask.
– Write a letter to someone in your family, telling them about your day.
– Turn off all devices and read a book with your family tonight.
– Greet a new neighbor by bringing over a loaf of bread and a bottle of olive oil.
– Talk to someone in your class that you don’t normally talk to. Focus on asking them questions and listening.
Simple and powerful, these prompts are just as useful in getting adults into the right frame of mind this season. It’s also a refreshing reminder in a season of “more” that the little things reap the greatest
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Cultivating Gratitude in an Age of Excess
How to encourage your children to be thankful
We live in an age in which we are urged to be appreciative of what we have. Instagram stars encourage us to be more mindful and grateful, and signs in home goods sections constantly remind us to do so with their artful messages: “Thankful”; “Grateful”; “Blessed.” This is all for good reason, of course. Most people can acknowledge that they have much to be thankful for, and reflecting on the people and things we are grateful for on a daily basis can be beneficial to our mental and spiritual health. But how, exactly, can we realistically practice this in a consistent manner, and how do we help our kids to understand what gratitude truly is?
November is a time where much of society seems to reflect on gratitude, as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. The following suggestions are ways to practice gratitude this season and more:
-Deeper dinner discussions
Every night, ask your children at the dinner table, “What made you happy today?” Join in as well. It’s fun to see where the conversation will take you, and it helps set a sense of positivity about daily experiences, no matter how seemingly small.
-Keep a journal
Every night, help your child write down three things that they are grateful for about their day. Even on days that seemed awful, this exercise encourages and reminds us of the good in our lives. Don’t skip on doing this exercise yourself!
-Consider new gifting traditions for the holidays
To cut down on holiday spending and set a tone for being more appreciative by reducing excess, consider adopting the “Four gifts” rule among your immediate family members and purchase only four gifts that fall under the following headings: 1. Something they want; 2. Something they need; 3. Something to wear; and 4. Something to read. You may be surprised by how positive your family responds!
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