Create a central place where every member of the family can share their gratitude for all things big and small.
Find a bound journal, notebook or sketchbook and decorate the cover. (We used alphabet stickers to write “Our Joy Journal” on a plain notebook with lined paper.) Keep the joy journal and some pens, markers or crayons in a location where your family meets up on a regular basis, such as the dinner table.
Find a few minutes each day when every member of the family can share something they are grateful for in the journal. Younger children can draw pictures or an adult can help them express their thoughts.
This project has dual purposes. Participants (that means the kids and you, too) get a chance to reflect on their own lives and the things that they might be overlooking. At the same time, through hearing others express appreciation, kids learn about the positive impact their behavior can have on someone else.
Try to keep up with your joy journal for a month and then spend some time together flipping back through the pages, and you’ll find you’re one lucky family.
Materials:
- A bound journal, notebook or sketchbook
- Stickers or markers to decorate the cover
