The idea to start having a gratitude jar came to me as I was about to toss out the pasta glass in the recycle bin a few weeks back. I was like mmmh how can our family dinners be more fun and get conversation going.
I realized after a while the usual, “how was your day?” gets old and so this has been a great way to dig a little deeper. What I also have noticed is it has brought down the occasional whining and grumbling from the littles when their heart and mind stop to pause and think that there is so much more to be grateful for other than griping about the one head of broccoli in front of them.
Last season on the podcast I had a chat with the Co-founder of the Family Dinner Project out in Boston – Dt. Ann Fishel and she was so generous and kind in sharing the long term benefits of family dinners. She described them as, “a seat belt in the potholed road of childhood and adolescence.” You can take a listen here.
xoxoxox
Pen.