Generally children are ever demanding. If you satisfy their one need, they have tonnes of want on their expectations tree. It is high time to know that even social media, TV shows have gone that extra mile to add feathers to it. But somehow with this process children lack the notion of needs and wants and also the difference between the same.
The concept contentment is vague for their age level. Though they have the thought of being happy for every little thing they like to do it is neither taught properly nor they are aware about it. Even for adults, feeling contented and appreciated for it is quite difficult to follow.
When children do not feel contented, they underrate things, people around them. This results in arrogance, stubborn attitude and even dominant nature which not only affects their personality but also results in poor peer relationship.
So how can we teach the most important life skills.
Being grateful for the things, people around them
Usually, when someone helps kids, they say thank you. Gratitude is not just thanking but feeling grateful for people and things around them which allows them to be happy and satisfied. Children can maintain a gratitude journal where they can mention whom they are grateful to and the reasons, also the ways of returning kindful deeds. School co-curricular activities related to gratitude day, kindness act also help children to know better along with teachers how school janitors, labourers work hard for them.
Tell them how simple things brings happiness
Obviously when children talk about celebrations, it’s not always about costly gifts. Celebrating things like scoring good marks than previous test, donating food, and clothing to the needy people, completing the to-do list without distraction also help them to know about being contented with what they have around them.
Involving children in service acts
No matter how you raise your kids, it is always peer group, friends’ influence that an effect while in the process of growing into an adult. Hence having a peer group who like each other’s company and do things together is useful for these service acts such as visiting orphanage, and old-age homes. Collecting funds and donating will even develop a sense of how blessed they are to have and lead their present comfortable life.
It also brings a sense of responsibility
However, teaching contentment is a complex process, you can just make children understand what it is, and the implementation can or cannot be seen at an early age. But when they become adults definitely you will taste the fruit as you sow the seed in the childhood itself.
Image by DanaTentis
