Time for a holiday rerun–with a few extras added in! In light of the release of Permanent Markers: Spiritual Life Skills to Write On Your Kids’ Hearts, here’s a list of ways to encourage your kids toward thankfulness this month.
1. The running list.
At dinner each night of November, see if your family can collectively think of 10 more things you’re thankful for. Keep a running list.
2. Turkey day decor.
Display a vase filled with your list written on slips of paper. Alternatively, scrawl gratitude items on kraft paper doubling as a Thanksgiving tablecloth—complete with markers or crayons prompting guests to add their own.
3. The classic: Thank you notes.
Set a small, doable goal for yourself to send out a certain number of thank-you notes to people who might be a little clueless as to just how much you appreciate them. You might also consider enclosing a small gift card (think Starbucks, Amazon, iTunes) to add an exclamation point to your gratitude.Polka-dot thank you notes: Print them here.
Print this polka-dot thank you note here.
Airmail thank you notes: Print these here.
Perhaps you’ve noticed the blog’s been a little quieter than usual. I’ve been enjoying a series of delightful days, on vacation at last. Everything in me feels like I’ve finally set down an overstuffed backpack.
Hey.
This week, my daughter turned 11. She was, of course, giddy about her birthday–something I don’t take for granted, since a lot of parents can’t afford to celebrate birthdays where we came from in Uganda.
I remember watching the pageant on my stomach on the carpet: One of my favorite television events of the year. There was the talent portion, the interview, the evening gown. Your ideal, they sang. And sure enough–girls around the nation wondered just like I did: Could I ever do that?
![Now You're Speaking My [Love] Language](https://www.janelbreitenstein.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/love-languages-text-1.jpg "Now You're Speaking My [Love] Language")
