Touching on Thankfulness During Tough Times

COVID-19 created a lot of difficult situations for many different people, and 2020 brought on a slew of unexpected challenges. Children and adults alike may be struggling with anxiety, online education, and social isolation from friends or loved ones. This year has been a tough one, but here are some ways you can tackle the concept of thankfulness as a family; even when it doesn’t seem like there is much to be thankful for.

1. Health

If your family has been lucky enough to have been unaffected by COVID (or if you or someone you know had it and recovered) make sure you are emphasizing how grateful you are for your family’s health. For younger children, try saying you’re thankful for your body and how good of a job it does at keeping you safe from germs!

2. Love

Even during times of hardship or uncertainty, family is not always certain for every child. Emphasize how much love exists in your house! Whether it is familial love, love for friends, or love for pets, touch on all the different kinds of love that exist in your family. Be sure to explicitly express your gratitude no matter what form.

3. Favorite Pastimes

Do your kids have favorite books, games or television shows? Quarantine probably gave them lots of extra time to dedicate to those things, so lightheartedly point that out. Whether it’s a favorite T.V. show or a movie that they can’t stop watching, your child will probably realize how much time they were able to spend with their favorite pastime, and find their own gratitude among the other feelings they may have had about the quarantine.

4. Personality Traits 

Is someone in the house a great cook? Anyone tell great jokes? How about any aspiring singing sensations? Find a prominent (positive) personality trait from each member of the family and emphasize how much more enjoyable spending time together is when that trait presents itself. For example: “Quarantine wouldn’t have been half as enjoyable without mom’s amazing cooking!” or “I don’t think I could have lasted through March without dad’s hilarious jokes!” Not only will this raise the morale a bit, but it allows each member of the family to feel good about themselves and what they bring to the table.

5. Favorite Foods 

If someone in the house turned into a chef over quarantine, this should be a fun one. Have everyone decide what food they couldn’t have survived quarantine without, and share one by one! While this is a more lighthearted one, food is still something that may have been scarce for many people throughout this year, and emphasizing your gratefulness for it is a great learning experience.

6. Toilet Paper

Now that the toilet paper hoarding part of COVID-19 is long over, make a lighthearted joke about the time when toilet paper was a rare commodity. For example: “You know what I’m thankful for? Using as much toilet paper as I want without worrying about running out!” While this is much less serious, it’s a funny and laughable way to remind your family that it’s okay to be thankful for the little things too.

While this year came with quite a few negative experiences, there are positives too if you think hard enough. Helping your children understand the many things there are to be thankful for, even in times of stress, will set them up to do that in their own lives as they grow up. This fun and casual family activity may even help bring some light into your own life with all of the uncertainty this year has brought. From our family to yours, we are wishing you healthy and happy holidays!