Thoughtfulness Starts at Home: Easy Habits for Families
Sunday after my husband opened all his gifts and cards, I saw the fruit of our labor in parenting. It was in this stack of homemade photo books and cards and pictures and gifts they hand picked themselves.
They came to me with their ideas and I just helped my son edit FARTHER to FATHER.
You know what? They are thoughtful and intentional because they see it modeled and not just by us. My friend gifted me a photo book for Mother’s Day and aunts and uncles have made a few for my kids. They see it in action. They see relationships flourish. They want it in on the give joy game.
4 ways we cultivate thoughtfulness in our home:
Gratitude: At meal time we often go around and ask questions like - what brought you joy today, who was kind to you and what did they do, did you see someone being extra kind…We also send thank you notes often to people who give us gifts or just support us well. Snail mail is not a dying art over here.
Acts of Kindness: We share ways we can be extra kind to people as we engage them at the park, store and our home. We also have kindness mission cards we use. Try thisfor some summer kindness challenges.
Gift-giving, card sending: We try to sit down at the end of each month to list all the birthdays. We talk about what we should do or give them. We also include everyone in the card making and writing. Now, my kids send weekly mail to people they know and just hand me their stack to stamp and mail - which is an upgrade from them sticking unstamped cards in the mailbox. We had to learn a little about the postal system!
Volunteering: Prioritize serving others (including people in your home). My husband and I serve in our church and the kids see us living that value out regularly. We take them with us when we serve and they help make meals for people who need them. Today, they made a snack tray for the men working on our back patio and filling water cups. Bless it, bless them.
Our kids, our rhythms and our values inspired me to create the Kids Joy Box.
Now packaging and sending the Summer Stationery Kit for thoughtful, creative and kind kids!
with joy,
Aneta
Founder + Designer of GWJ
