Mommy Goal – November 09
During our years together, Jay and I have often commented on how much faster Christmas items seem to be appearing in stores, in our junk mail, and in the media. Even before Halloween is over some items creep out in back corners, and then burst on the scene starting November 1st.
Jay: It’s like they’re trying to say that we should all just forget about being grateful and jump right into wanting things.
Me: We’ve got a bad case of the gimmes (Give-me’s).
So this month’s goal is to help hold off the rampant gimmes of the world and emphasize being grateful.
Mommy Goal of the Month: Find ways to have a gratitude-centered home.
My idea (and please use this if you’d like to) is to display the I’m Grateful jar in my home along with a pen and several slips of paper. Everyday each member of the family needs to add at least one paper with something that they’re grateful for. Mom’s of small kiddos like me need to be observant and add thing for the kids that can’t talk/write, because they’re feelings should be included.
On Thanksgiving we’re going to go through the papers together as a family. Some will make us giggle I’m sure, but the best ones will be made into a list to go on the fridge and that can be referred back to often.
“Jimmy, Sally was very grateful when you shared your toys with her, can’t you share now?”
“Honey, I was so grateful the day you made dinner for me, thanks again for thinking of it.” And so forth.
I’m sure there are lots of other great ideas out there, and I’d be happy to post any that get suggested, but this is what we’re going to do around our house – if it goes well it may even become a tradition.
If you don’t think it’s your cup of tea, and you’ve got some bigger kids you could also play Gratitude Hot Potato (I played it with my church class today and they LOVED it). The game is:
- Have the kids name their favorite letter in the alphabet and write them down.
- Have the kids sit in a circle.
- Use a bean bag or soft ball as the potato and have the kids toss it back and forth, when you have the ball you have to name something that you’re grateful for starting with that letter.
- Toss the ball quickly from kids to kid until you run out of ideas for the letter, then move on to the next one on the list. You’ll be amazed at all of the random things that there are to be grateful for!
Some of the things that came up in our game today:
C: Candy, Christmas, Cotton, Chocolate, Cookies
W: Water, Wishes, Waterfalls,
D: Dads, Dogs, Dog food, The D’s (my parents), donuts
G: Gravity, Grapes, Games, Grateful for being grateful, etc.
Have fun and let me know how it goes! : )
