THE SEASON OF GRATITUDE: GRATITUDE JOURNALING FOR HAPPIER PARENTING
Being grateful is not just for Thanksgiving, and November is a great month to try to remember the daily practice of giving thanks. There is budding research on the impact of structured gratitude, such as journaling, on maternal mental health. Although research is emerging, it never hurts to try the simple practice of keeping a gratitude journal.
Why keep a gratitude journal?
There is nothing to lose & potentially a lot to gain from the exercise of giving thanks.
The glass looks half full: keeping a gratitude journal can boost an optimistic outlook, including an increased sense of joy & satisfaction.
A happy heart: being grateful may reduce depressive symptoms.
Joyful parents have joyful kids: modeling a positive attitude & gratitude for your children helps promote their pediatric mental health.
How do I keep a gratitude journal?
A quick answer, any way you want, write it, type it, jot it down on your phone’s notes, just put something in writing. Try this practice 3 days a week for 6 weeks to make a habit of it. Help honor your commitment by setting a specific time of day to journal.
Be specific & dig deep: instead of being general like “my job”, be specific with details about what, when & why.
Start big, but nothing is too small: obviously life changing events welcome, but a delicious meal is also a reason to be thankful.
Get personal: think people over things.
Think negative: be grateful for the lessons learned, narrow misses & lucky escapes.
Use a prompt: if you are stuck, there are some great gratitude prompts out there to spark your appreciation.
What about getting your kids involved?
If your kids can draw a picture or write a word, they are ready to start a gratitude practice. Little ones can draw something they are grateful for. Older kids can write a phrase or just a single word of thanks such as: dog, family, food, or home. Encourage your teens to take a break from social media to for a moment of appreciation, even if what they are thankful for, at first, might be Tik Tok.
In the past, my family has made a tree end every night in November we would each hang a leaf with a word or phrase about what we were grateful for. As the tree filled with leaves, we unconsciously read all the things we have to be thankful for. This practice is a nice way to reset before the next holiday season, which is often accompanied by excess spending and kids craving more instead of being satisfied with what they already have.
Just do it!
This month of November take a moment to journal, maybe even getting the whole family involved in writing down what they appreciate. Expressing gratitude helps us recognize our many gifts and helps us avoid taking them for granted, it improves our mental health and our capacity to be present for ourselves and our families.
Luck, Love & Light, XO Rachel
REFERENCES
Benoit V, Gabola P. Effects of Positive Psychology Interventions on the Well-Being of Young Children: A Systematic Literature Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Nov 17;18(22):12065.
Cunha LF, Pellanda LC, Reppold CT. Positive Psychology and Gratitude Interventions: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Front Psychol. 2019 Mar 21;10:584.
Kim-Godwin YS, Kim SS, Gil M. Journaling for self-care and coping in mothers of troubled children in the community. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2020 Apr;34(2):50-57.
Tomczyk J, Nezlek JB, Krejtz I. Gratitude Can Help Women At-Risk for Depression Accept Their Depressive Symptoms, Which Leads to Improved Mental Health. Front Psychol. 2022 Apr 7;13:878819.