The word “writing” can strike fear in young hearts because children tend to associate it with lengthy and often-painful tasks such as essays and stories.
But as I’ve frequently shared here on my blog, writing can truly be as simple as making lists, playing word games, or publishing a story as a craft. By offering your children a varied writing diet, they learn to enjoy appetizers and desserts along with the main meal.
One way to inspire writing is through focused journals such as a diary of a vacation, a memory book about a special friend or family member, or reflections on a season or holiday. Today, I’d like to encourage you and your family to focus your journaling on 30 days of gratitude.
Keep a Gratitude Journal
Does your home more closely resemble Grumbletown? Is everyone wearing you down with their bickering and squabbling? Are tempers flaring? Do you find yourself long on complaints and short on compliments?
Sounds like you or your children may be in need of an attitude makeover, and November—this most “thankful” of months—makes a perfect time to cultivate gratitude in your family.
Many people (myself included) are taking the opportunity to journal every day about the things we’re thankful for. These journalings go by different names, but they all serve the same purpose: To count our blessings and record them. It’s a way to purposefully acknowledge our gratitude for those things, both large and small.
Plan Your Journal
When I say “journal,” don’t break into a cold sweat on me, OK? For this little project, I’m only asking for a sentence (or two or three).
Are you breathing easier now? Good. Then let’s talk about how to actually do this!
First, everyone needs to decide where and how to record their thoughts. Each person needs an outlet—and the choices are many!
- Notebook. Keep a daily journal in a something as elegant as a leather diary or as simple as a spiral notebook.
- Blog. Record your journal online, if you have a blog.
- Journal Jar. Scribble your thanks on scraps of paper and store them in a mason jar or small box.
- Printable Journal Pages. Often beautifully decorated with illustrations or writing prompts, downloadable journaling pages offer a convenient option for busy families.
It’s very possible that you might have four family members journaling their thankful thoughts in four different ways. Yay for diversity!
Next, choose a name for your Thanksgiving gratitude project. Here are a few ideas:
- Gratitude Journal
- 30 Days of Gratitude
- Thankful Project
- My Thankful Box
- I Am Thankful
Count Your Blessings
Ponder a bit. What makes you thankful? At first, the obvious will pop into your minds: Food, family, friends, faith. But encourage your children to look for hidden, unexpected, or less obvious things too, such as the smell of clean hair, hugs from Nana, a warm bed, a kind deed.
Write Them Down
Younger children can write one thing every day. Older children and adults can write five things you’re grateful for. Whether each note is brief or lengthy, it should be personally meaningful.
Make It Personal
If you wish, you and your children can make your journal or box even more personal by including quotations, Bible verses, or photographs.
Take the Challenge
Keep your gratitude journals for the entire month of November—or at least through Thanksgiving. As a special Thanksgiving Day activity, invite each family member to share one or two excerpts from their journals.
With everyone’s hearts and minds turned toward giving thanks and recording blessings, I know that renewed attitudes and more pleasant temperaments will be the refreshing outcome.
I hope you’ll join me! Will you take the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge? Leave a comment to let me know.
These ideas—and many more—also come as a PDF of gorgeous printable journaling pages for ages 5-13.
