Have you thought about how important it is for kids to send a thank you note to friends and family who have given them gifts and have come to their birthday party?

I generally thought of thank you notes as a gesture of politeness and good manners. I thought of it as the right thing to do and parents should insist on it.

I started to talk to parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and family friends about their ideas about gratitude and saying thank you. More than one person said in resignation, “Saying thank you is a lost art. We never receive thank you notes any more.” Still others said, “I just stopped sending gifts.” And my son shared about taking his kids to birthday parties where the birthday child tears open one present after another –I’m sure you can picture it -- paper all over the place, kids running around, and little attention to any of the stuff or little appreciation for the gifts.

I discovered in the book “What Kids Really Want that Money Can’t Buy,” by Betsy Taylor that research shows kids themselves actually do want many things that money can’t buy. They want more time with loved ones; they want to connect with nature; they want peace and a kinder, more just world.

However, children need help in achieving those longings. In regards to gratitude, they need help in understanding that someone has thought about them, cares about them and has gone out of their way to do something special for them. Starting practices such as writing thank you notes and saying thank you is the beginning of building long term bonds with others, and a happier, healthier more successful life.

Our Green Gratitude Kits™ are designed to make it easier and more fun to say thanks! This is a project you can start with your kids or grandkids today.

Jackie Michel