Gratitude is not taught in a day or a night. It takes time and repetition. In fact, gratitude is a life skill that parents model. Which means it might take work if you are not naturally thankful. It is work, well worth it, if you persevere while your kids are at home.

When I picked up Hunter from a friend’s home, the mom told me that Hunter was the only one who thanked her for lunch. He also took his plate back. How did that happen?

Our kids said thank you for meals. They took their plates to the sink after a meal. It was part of our life at home, so it was part of them when they were away from home.

We modeled “please” and “thank you” every single day. I told my kids thank you for all sorts of things. As a result, they followed my example and said “thank you” to others.