Raising Grateful Children

I love my kids but they all go through different phases.  Lately, my kids have seemed very entitled and ungrateful for what they have and what we do for them.  I tried to think of ways to turn this around and I came up with a few ways to remind them of how blessed they are.

1. Dinnertime thankfulness: Every night at dinner, we are going around the table saying one thing we are grateful for that day.  It may not be much but it gives us a chance to reflect on the blessings we received that day and it usually becomes a good conversation starter.

2. Work before you play:  My kids have had chores for a while but they just have to get them done sometime during the day.  This Summer we have done a lot of fun activities in the community and their gratitude for that has not been reflected in their behavior.  So, they have to do their chores before I will take them to do anything fun or have friends over.  I want them to understand that going to the pool, play dates, etc are a privilege, not a right.

3. Giving and serving: I have been talking to them a lot about how much they have compared to most kids around the world.  I think that conversation can be done without becoming a giant guilt trip (at lease I hope).  I had them gather up toys to donate to a local charity and we are talking about other opportunities for them to serve.

How do you encourage an attitude of gratitude in your home?