It Takes A Village

It takes a village.

Give me five minutes with a child and I can tell you what the mindset of his or her parents is focused upon.

My daughter, now a teenager, used to say I was crazy for making this statement. These days, she understands that the mindset of a child will be very similar to that mother_sonof their parents. Because of this fact, it is extremely important to teach a child about being grateful from an early age. Entitlement is not an acceptable manner of living. Too often parents teach their children from infancy, that it is ok to whine and cry until they receive whatever it is they are seeking. Holidays and birthdays are overstuffed with presents and the credit card debt consumes the parents, but the child is happy. Hmmm, not a great lesson to teach a child.

Then the child grows up and as a teenager the negative behaviors are magnified and the parents wonder why they are dealing with the drama of an out of control teenager. Guess what? I will say, it is the parent’s fault. They taught the child that it was ok to behave like a brat and now they are all suffering the consequences.

The positive part of this problem is that it can be easily rectified by those who choose to take responsibility for themselves and for the lessons they are teaching their children.

There was once a time when people said please and thank you for everything. Families sat down at the dinner table and gave thanks, in whatever manner they felt drawn, took the time to appreciate others and be aware and grateful that there was a hot plate of food on the table. Somewhere along the line, the habit of saying please and thank you, of being appreciative, of smiling and taking in fresh air, the birds, nature, and reading a good book, all disappeared into video games, overpriced clothing, fast food, a life of busy-ness, all with a sense of entitlement.

It’s now time to return to living a happy and gratitude filled life. As adults, as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and teachers of all kinds, it is imperative that we take responsibility for reminding ourselves to be actively thankful daily. And to teach this to the next generation. How do we do this?

Here are a few simple steps to redirect you to a path of gratitude:

  1. Smile at others.
  2. Say please and thank you.
  3. Ask questions kindly.  Listen to the answers.  Be respectful.
  4. Be sincere in compliments, choose positive reinforcement.
  5. Say kind things about others, even when they are not present.
  6. Appreciate the little things.
  7. Send a handwritten note. Holiday card, birthday card, thank you note. Use snail mail once a week to let someone know you are thinking of them.
  8. Shake hands and make eye contact.
  9. Read books with positive messages and share them! The library is full of books to help uplift and encourage.
  10. Take time to be with family & friends. Enjoy the company of others.
  11. Leave the gossip and drama at the door. Choose to focus on the good stuff.
  12. And most importantly, remember the Golden Rule. Treat others in the same manner in which you’d like to be treated.

Life is too short to walk in the negative. Focus on the positive, laugh, smile and be happy!

Author Bio:

Caryn FitzGerald is a Business Strategist, Author, Speaker & Leadership Coach. Caryn hosts the international talk show, “Coffee and Coaching with Caryn.” She believes in collaborating, creating and monetizing your passions. headshot1-150x150She specializes in assisting people who are at a cross-roads in life or business, to shift their mindset and actions, creating a pathway to continue on their journey towards attaining their goals and bringing their dreams to life!

Connect with her at: www.CarynFitzGerald.com
Or on Facebook at: www.Facebook.com/TheManifestingQueen

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Joy Kids Universe, LLC
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