Dear Reader:

A few days ago Susan sent me an interesting article about raising thankful kids in an entitled culture.

Until very recent times children definitely had back seats in the hierarchy of societal importance and attention received throughout history. But today it appears that children are living in the golden age of an entitlement culture. This culture says that a parent’s job is to make their children happy at all costs. So the child’s interpretation is give me the latest gadgets, the cool clothes and give me the most advantages.

Somehow this notion has been blown completely out of context… providing happiness is not a parent’s job… raising confident, faith-filled adults who will contribute to society is.

Author Susan Alexander Yates ( How to Raise Thankful Kids in an Entitled Culture) gives four suggestions how to teach children to be appreciative for what they have and then pass their appreciation on to others.

1. Remember parents… You are not running for most popular parent.. saying ” No” is not a bad thing. Set limits on material things… instead spend more one on one time with your child.

2. Don’t succumb to parental peer pressure. Guard your family time… for every yes to one outside activity …balance it with a no.

3. Teach your children to become ” other-centered.” Create opportunities for your children to serve others

4. Appreciation must be taught… thank you notes, thank other parents carpooling, thank your teacher for helping you or someone who writes you a recommendation… for every good deed respond with gratitude.

So until tomorrow… when we learn to appreciate our fellow man… it enhances our appreciation of our Heavenly Father. A person not growing in human thankfulness will be less likely to be growing in spiritual faith and appreciation of our Creator God! like Beverly Barutio wrote… our ” Thank you note to God.”

” Today is my favorite day”