Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Most people are looking forward to the food, family gatherings and gift giving that comes along with the holiday season. Dr. Robin Gurwitch a psychologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, reminds parents that this is also the time of year when they should pause to say thanks and also reinforce this idea in their children.
“The holiday season is a perfect time for parents to teach the quality of gratitude to their child,” says Dr. Gurwitch. And she says parents should start teaching that lesson early. “Children model adults in their lives. Gratitude does not come automatically. It takes time to develop and we as adults need to do things to encourage it and show it.”
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and all of the other celebrations, Dr. Gurwitch suggests the following tips on how to help a child understand the concepts of thankfulness during the holidays.
Consider thank you notes. Having children write (or draw pictures) to say thank you for a gift or act of kindness is a simple way to help children develop gratitude.
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center ranks third in the nation among all Honor Roll hospitals in U.S. News and World Report's 2011 Best Children's Hospitals ranking. It is ranked #1 for gastroenterology and in the top 10 for all pediatric specialties - a distinction shared by only two other pediatric hospitals in the United States. Cincinnati Children's is one of the top two recipients of pediatric research grants from the National Institutes of Health. It is internationally recognized for improving child health and transforming delivery of care through fully integrated, globally recognized research, education and innovation. Additional information can be found at www.cincinnatichildrens.org