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Thanksgiving
with a Twist
New Traditions Illustrate Gratitude
By Dr. Caron B. Goode
www.academyforcoachingparents.com
Thanksgiving is a celebration of life's bounty. On the fourth
Thursday in November we gather to give thanks for health, prosperity,
and love. For adults this can be cathartic, but what about the
children? In school, our sons and daughters are taught the historic
significance of Thanksgiving. But do they know what the Pilgrims
and your family have in common?
This year, connect the dots for your kids. Show them what Thanksgiving
means to you and your loved ones. Encourage them to ask family
and friends what they are most thankful for. Then illustrate their
answers with one of the following Thanksgiving Day projects. These
projects will keep your children engaged and connected to the
spirit of gratitude.
New Thanksgiving Day Traditions
Rising Star. Have a little Spielberg? Why not have
her make a gratitude documentary? Filming guests share what they
are thankful for helps your child better relate to gratitude as
it exists in her world. It also makes a great keepsake that your
family will appreciate for years to come.
Places
Please. This simple Thanksgiving Day project is another
concrete way for children to experience gratitude. Ideal for younger
children, this project only requires construction paper, markers,
curiosity, and imagination. Fold pieces of construction paper in
half to make a place card. Write each guest's name on one side of
a card. Then divide the cards among the children and have them ask
their guests what they are celebrating. The children can write responses
on the side of the card opposite the guest's name. If necessary,
older children can help the younger children record answers. When
all the guests have been questioned, have the children return to
the art area to illustrate the name side of their cards with pictures
of your guests. Then letting the seating arrangements begin.
Sounds
Like. Children and adults alike can utilize the above place
cards for a lively game of charades. Imagine the fun you will have
acting out the characters in your group and what they are celebrating!
The
Same Page. Like the place cards, this project is very adaptable
for younger children. Write the name of each guest at the top of
a piece of construction paper. Divide the pages among the children
and have them ask your guests what they are grateful for and record
their answers. Then ask the children to draw a picture that represents
each answer. Be sure that all of the children contribute to the
cover illustration and title. When all the pages are complete, bind
the book by punching holes along one edge and securing with colorful
yarn or string.
Story
Time. More verbal children may be interested in telling
stories that describe your guests and what they are grateful for.
Like the above projects, have the children ask each guest what they
are celebrating. Then ask them to imagine how this Thanksgiving
blessing came to be. You may offer them prompts such as "When
Uncle Harry was a little boy…" or "Grandma was walking
down the street one day…" Then sit back and enjoy the
show.
Serving
up these new traditions is a great way to help your children understand
why your family celebrates Thanksgiving. Projects such as these
can also spice up your day and remind everyone that Thanksgiving
is about more than pumpkin pie.
Caron Goode, Ed.D. draws insight from fifteen years in private psychotherapy
practice and thirty years in the fields of education, personal empowerment,
and health and wellness. She is the author of ten books (www.inspiredparenting.net)
and the founder of the Academy for Coaching Parents, (www.acpi.biz)
a training program for parents and professionals who wish to mentor
other parents. Caron is a mom and step-mom, who lives with her husband
in Ft. Worth, Texas. She can be reached at caronbgoode@earthlink.net.
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