New! 2014 Thanksgiving Day Books

Every parent I know tries to teach gratitude and appreciation to their children all year long. Most of them model appreciation every time they can. Some blow me away with their volunteer efforts that surely show their kids how to give back. 

No matter what you do to help raise children who will grow up to be thankful for other's small gestures or great kindness, it is always nice to have reminders around the house. Our family always turns to books to teach us of course, but also to help me emphasize any given point I need to make. Books help us express our feelings a little better, see how characters deal with situations like ours, and to inspire us to dream big!

Right now, the theme of gratitude is everywhere! We are quickly approaching the holiday season and it shows. On a recent trip to the bookstore, we noticed rows and rows of Thanksgiving theme books. I thought, "Why not keep some of these books out and on full display all year long?" They could be little reminders to us and to children to count our lucky stars.

While there, I also started to compile a list of the latest books on gratitude for you and your little ones. All of the books listed below were published this year. Some are available on paperback and for Kindle.

Enjoy!

Pinkalicious: Thanksgiving Helper by Victoria Kann

Thanksgiving Stories by Uncle Amon

The Great Thanksgiving Escape by Mark Fearing

The First Thanksgiving for Kids: How Thanksgiving Came to Be  by Ian D. Fraser

Thanksgiving for Emily Ann by Teresa Johnston

El pavo de accion de gracias by Cassie Willows

Junie B, First Grader: Turkey's We Have Loved and Eaten by Barbara Park

What is Thanksgiving? by Michelle Medlock Adams

The Fantastic Gifts of Fall by Dandi Mackall

We Gather Together: Celebrating the Harvest Season by Wendy Pfeffer

Betty Galvan, is writing "for smart and stylish moms" over

at MyFriendBettySays.com.

5 Ways to Teach Gratitude

The holidays are officially here! Halloween and Dia de los Muertos have passed and we now have beautiful new memories in our heads and loads of sweets we can't finish fast enough. Everywhere we look, we can't help but feel the pressure of the seasonal commercialism, and our kids start to make lists way too long for Santa to fully accommodate.

Now we are welcoming November with open arms and we focus on projects that remind our children to show gratitude. I think of how our family has been trying to teach our kids that thankfulness and gratitude is something we should show every day--all year long.

It is not easy to even hear a "thank you" from children in a consistent manner, and just like we teach other fundamentals over and over, practicing gratitude is just as important to reinforce. Here are five ideas to incorporate in your child's every day lives.

1) Write thank you notes. Every year, my boys receive birthday gifts, just-because presents and tons of books and clothes throughout the months. No matter who is sending a package or footing a bill, help your child give thanks by simply sending a little note. Mail always makes things more fun!

2) Go around the dinner table and describe your appreciation. Why wait for Thanksgiving? Every day whether it be at breakfast time or lunch time, children can get into a quick habit of thinking what made their day so special that it motivated them to say thanks.

3) Give. We always talk about the less fortunate. We always try to say yes to people asking for small donations and we explain to our oldest why we give. Simple tasks such as watching us donate old clothes and toys is a great way to teach kids to be thankful for the basics such as having warm clothes during this time of year.

4) Have kids help around the house. Just yesterday, I watched my almost three-year old son trying so hard to put his empty dinner dishes in the sink. He couldn't reach! He kept trying and trying but I wouldn't help because I knew he was safe and that if his task takes some effort, he will appreciate it greatly next time someone else helps him out.

5) Try not to say YES! We would love to give our kids every single thing they ask for...all the time. Who doesn't? I remember growing up and wanting the latest sneakers and my brother begging for a specific video game. My parents had to say no a lot because of their financial situation. When they did splurge on something small or big, we were very, very grateful.

What are some other ways we can teach gratitude at home? Please share!

Image: Viva Greetings

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Betty Galvan, is helping her readers "find the positive and seek the benefits" over at her blog, MyFriendBettySays.com.