I love Autumn…my favorite time of year with my favorite holiday.  While checking in with one of my young friends the other day, this child asked me about my favorite holiday.  There was no hesitation on my part…”It’s Thanksgiving!”  Giving thanks for our blessings, focusing on the extraordinary in the ordinary, and having attitudes of gratitude should be daily practice in all our lives. 

As a special writing challenge this month, the child’s teacher is spending the month of November actively demonstrating thankfulness by having learners write a daily entry into a “Thankful Journal.”  Each child  spends a few moments writing about one thankful thing in his or her life–30 entries in all.  The teacher then shares a personal thought at the end of the day after the children have written their own entries.  My little friend was amazed to hear the ideas from the teacher and noted, “Mrs. Van, you should do this too…oh wait…you do this on morning announcements, don’t you?”  🙂 The child then challenged me to follow along with the class this month by writing my own thought each day instead of just “saying them on the announcements.”  Consider it done, little one!   🙂

Since I believe strongly in “paying it forward,” I now challenge you to join us by taking a moment during each day this month to write your own blessings and gratitudes.  Have conversation at home while brushing teeth, folding clothes, riding in the car, cleaning up the kitchen, taking a walk, or just sitting together at bedtime to share your thoughts with your learner.  Children model the words and actions of the important adults in their lives. Take time to actively plant those seeds of gratefulness now; you’ll reap extraordinary blessings throughout the journey!