Fostering the Development of Gratitude in Children

Parents describe gratitude as developing in their children through a series of moments, a culmination of what they notice, think, feel, and do in relation to others. Grateful teens and adults report better health outcomes, more satisfying relationships, and greater psychological well-being. Thus, helping parents foster gratitude moments in their children may be one strategy for building resilience and social connection that lasts through the life course. In this presentation, we discuss how gratitude moments develop over time and what parents can do to foster such moments in their children. We also practice the communication skills used in the Raising Grateful Children program as a tool for enhancing parents' socialization of gratitude and related aspects of positive youth development.