Embracing Joy, Love & Gratitude With Our Children

Is it time to rethink your goals for yourself and your family?

A goal of mine is to embrace a new attitude full of joy, love, and gratitude towards my child…EVERY DAY! (Yes, I know it’s not that easy!)

I wonder how amazing I will feel if I could be full of more joy, love, and gratitude? It would be incredibly wonderful if, all of a sudden, my child saw a shift in the way I was talking and acting.  What if my child wanted to be around me more than being off in other parts of the house doing something without me?  I know it would be awesome to grow in these areas and reap all the rewards that come along with that growth.

Is it time to re-evaluate and identify the things that may be keeping your family from practicing joyful, giving love, and showing gratitude?

PRACTICE JOY

At times, we may not feel joyful. It takes a lot of energy and a new mindset to turn our sadness into joy, we can replace the time we spend complaining with time spent practicing joy. Eventually, when we get this ‘joyful’ attitude down, it may begin a domino effect throughout our family unit.

What is one way you could express joy today when you are tempted to complain?

GIVE LOVE

Love makes everyone around us feel special!  When we share love with others, we are free to be more giving and accepting.  That makes us much more attractive to be around. After all, isn’t that what we want to feel when we are around those we love?  

We create a win-win situation when we express our inner feelings of love toward our children, in particular.  Hugs and kisses are so important when bonding with our newborn, so, it important to never stop. Even when our children become teenagers who think Mom is the weirdest person ever, physical affection is an important way to convey our love for our kids.  Equally important is spending time together, handing out praise and compliments, helping with homework or difficult tasks, and giving unexpected surprises.

What is one way you could better express love to your child today?

SHOW GRATITUDE

Gratitude is an opportunity to acknowledge our blessings.  Every day we experience hundreds of blessings. When we raise our consciousness and watch what is actually taking place on a daily basis, we may realize there are more amazing things going on than not.

When it comes to our children, it’s important to show them how grateful we are to have them. They will feel more secure within themselves by knowing you love them and that you want them in your life. Many kids today aren’t sure if their parents are grateful to have them.  Don’t leave your kids guessing. Let them know, on a daily basis, how much you love having them in your life. Express your gratitude by letting them know that having them around makes you feel like you’re the luckiest person ever!

Being grateful doesn’t just mean feeling good about all the material things we have.  It’s about being grateful even when we don’t have everything we think we want or need.  Children need to see that just because you may not have the latest big-screen television, computer, iPod, or cell phone, doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world.  Learning to be grateful for the little things we have shows humility.

What do you have to be grateful for today?  Start a list and keep adding to it.

Ready to reach this new and exciting goal?

Feeling joy, love, and gratitude creates contentment in our hearts and our home. These qualities also help us stay well-adjusted. We can begin to be at peace from the moment we wake up until we lay our heads on the pillow at the end of each day.  Ask yourself the three questions about joy, love, and gratitude every day. The answers are crucial to keeping a harmonious lifestyle.

Having a peaceful, loving home is what many of us desire. The good news is, we have the key to creating this beautiful place. We want the best for our children, and sharing joy, love, and gratitude is the way to reach that goal.

So, out with the old behavior and in with the new! It’s time to openly share joy, love, and gratitude in our home. We were born to love and respect each other and our children will thrive off that energy. We don’t have to keep thrashing around with negativity and anger. That was so last year!

Lisa Hein is a parenting author, motivational speaker, former radio talk show host of ‘Everyday Parenting,’ and a parenting coach.  Please visit her website, www.LisaRHein.com, or email her at lhein@tampabay.rr.com to find out more about her journey.   Her two books, ‘Manifesting God’s Love in Your Family – Growing Together in Faith,’ and THE BOOK “I’m Doing The Best I can!” (They won’t always be cute and adorable) are available on her website.