Getting Grateful With Daily Journaling
Remembering to be grateful for what you have isn’t always on your mind, so imagine how it is for your child. An easy solution to reflect on what there is to be grateful for is keeping a daily journal. Polk County Catholic schools advocate daily journaling to promote a more happier, fulfilled, and humble child.
Choosing the Perfect Journal
This is the easiest part of journaling because your child gets to pick a personalized journal that matches their personality. They get to choose the design. It could be paperback or hardcover, and it may even include a lock dressed up with ribbons. The journal doesn’t even have to be written on paper, but rather on a journal app on an iPad.
Why and Where to Journal
Journaling is important to teach kids what there is to be grateful for. They may go about daily life without realizing what to appreciate, as it’s easy to take things they have for granted. It reduces stress, and journaling uncovers hidden pieces of their world. It doesn’t matter where they journal — they can journal anywhere as long as they have their notebook! Sometimes being in a new place creates a new way to express thoughts.
What to Journal About
Your child doesn’t need to write long paragraphs, so starting off with bullet points is great. They can add points to it every day. She should also include why she’s grateful for those things. If they run out of ideas then they can start writing about why other people are grateful for what they have. This creates and challenges their understanding of empathy in a positive way.
They Don’t Need the Notebook!
Maybe your child doesn’t always have the notebook on them and that’s okay! Gratitude is expressed in more than one way. Perhaps they have a social media account where they can post what they’re grateful, or they can even talk to friends and family to express it verbally. All gratitude is great!
At Polk County catholic schools, we foster an atmosphere of care and an environment of high expectations and effective discipline. To learn more about what makes us different, contact the Office of Catholic Schools at the Diocese of Orlando by dialing 407-246-4800.