Today, let’s list some ideas for Gratitude Journaling this Thanksgiving. It’s so easy to fall into a rut of busyness, frustration with the economy, and constant change that we often forget how important it is to pause and be grateful for the good things. When we make time to reflect, our spirits are lifted and we are encouraged to keep fighting the day-to-day battles of life.
For young Grands - Film a video journal you can share with family members. Record each grand responding to prompts you give them. Keep it simple. First, ask what they are thankful for. Answers can be delightful! If they falter, simply ask them to complete a sentence for you. “I am thankful for my mommy and daddy because…” or “I am thankful for my pet because…” You get the idea, help them out with some ideas and let them fill in the blanks.
For grade school and middle school age Grands - Create a worksheet or buy a small journal and fill in some broad and narrow prompts. Get them to practice writing and putting thoughts on paper. Ask them to bring their journal or written sheets to Thanksgiving dinner to share as everyone, including adults, will be sharing something they are thankful for while together. You may even want to write out your thankfulness for them when you give out the project. It will not only give them some warm fuzzies, but also some ideas about how to write a short note of thankfulness.
For high school and older Grands - Go back to the video but ask them to create a short video to share with the family. Most young people in this age group are very adept at using their smartphones to create clips and reals. If you really want to incentivize the group of Grands, offer several prizes for categories like Most Heartfelt, Most Humorous, and Most Creative. Etc. Have some fun and then share the videos with family members. If you have the capability, put them up on TV screens during celebrations and enjoy them together.
Journaling doesn’t have to be a daily activity to be effective. An annual journaling project shared by family members could create a great legacy of memories throughout the years. Try it out and let us know how it goes!