Junior School

Attitude of Gratitude

Article by Shona Bullingham, Deputy Head of Junior School

In the busyness of everyday life, it is easy to focus on what we want, what we need, or what isn't going our way. Developing an attitude of gratitude helps us to pause, notice and appreciate the people, experiences and everyday moments that bring joy and meaning to their lives. So as part of the Junior School’s Social Service Project for Term 3 students have been learning about the benefits and impact of developing an Attitude of Gratitude.

The students have learned that gratitude is more than simply saying “thank you”. It is about noticing the positives around us and recognising the contributions of others. To encourage them to find these positives, students have participated in regular Circle Times with a focus on Gratitude and viewed information to help inform them about how to be grateful.

Some of the benefits of regularly expressing gratitude for children, can be:

• Build wellbeingby encouraging them to notice positive experiences.

• Strengthen relationships by helping others feel valued and appreciated.

• Develop empathy by recognising the efforts and kindness of others.

• Build resilience by helping children identify positive supports, even when things are challenging.

• Develop a positive mindset by shifting attention towards what is meaningful and going well.

To support your child to continue to develop their sense of gratitude you can take practice this short routine on a daily basis. Set aside a few minutes at the end of the day and invite everyone in the family to share three things they are grateful for.

They could be:

• A person – “I am grateful for my friend because they included me in their game.”

• A moment – “I am grateful that we laughed together at dinner.”

• Something small – “I am grateful for the sunshine at lunchtime.”

• Something they learned – “I am grateful that I learned how to solve that tricky maths problem.”

   

Encourage children to explain why they are grateful. This helps move gratitude beyond simply saying “thank you” and encourages them to notice the positive moments that can sometimes go unnoticed.

Most importantly, gratitude doesn't mean that everything has to be positive all the time. Children can experience disappointment, frustration and difficult emotions while still learning to notice the people and experiences that support and encourage them.

This week, take a moment to pause, notice and appreciate the little things. You might be surprised by how much there is to be grateful for. 

Junior School families, through supporting the project to develop an attitude of gratitude, have raised around $2700 through their generous donations. This money will be used to purchase gifts for children that are supported through Anglicare to receive at Christmas time. The SRC students will use the money shopping for these gifts later in Term 4. These gifts will be presented to an Anglicare representative at the Junior School Carols Service at St Paul’s Cathedral on the 24th November.