learn to count on such rituals, they develop a sense of stability. As
adults, they will recall these rituals and draw on them for meaning. Of
course, it’s also important for families to celebrate key life-events, the
memories of which act as a binding force in a child’s psyche.
Children who grow up in families in which stories abound around the
table and during family gatherings lead lives that are undergirded with a
coherence and continuity that’s especially valuable during times of
stress. Having heard hours of stories about their ancestors, they grow up
with an internal narrative that lends them a sense of fortitude, resilience,
and courage.WHY EXPRESSING GRATITUDE TO YOUR CHILD IS
A POWERFUL PARENTING TOOL
I tell parents, “When I teach you about gratitude, I’m handing you one of
the most powerful techniques to use with your child.”
To access a reverence and appreciation for their life is one of the most
important lessons our children can learn. Expressing gratitude reminds
them that they are never alone but always in relationship with life itself.
Such gratitude also reinforces the fact that life is kind, wise, and
bountiful.
Creating a daily or weekly ritual at the dining table, in which each
person has the chance to express something they are thankful for, helps
our children develop reflective skills, which in turn enables them to
extract beauty from life. At the same time, such a practice reminds them
that even as life gives to them, they too must give to life. Indeed, it
teaches children to give back not only in a physical form but also in an