Teach Your Children To Count Their Blessings

D'ya know the thing they encourage us to do with our kids before bedtime other than reading?
It's to engage children in thought.

It's easy to engage them in conversation, but thought is profound. I have applied this from some article i read that we should encourage our children to COUNT THEIR BLESSINGS every single day.

Start from say... the simplest things. They would understand - things that make them happy for the day. We continue from there by telling them, hey, its a blessing to get to go swimming together today isn't it? We get to spend good quality time and have more swimming practise time... We got to eat outside today too! And at Swensens at that too! That's something special too right, cos we don't go there every other day to eat? Now that's a blessing too.

I also stray a little from here to include a thank you prayer to God. For the good weather, for our family being together and for the health given to daddy so he can go out to work and provide for school, toys, transport, Swensens, etc.

Religion can be intangible to children so this so-called "reflection time" can be a good start to instill love for God and the belief.

No matter who belives in which... The true purpose of religion is being at peace and calm with oneself. To seek solace in times of hardship and sadness.

To do good. (Also to secure good plc in after-life! Well, that retirement plan mebbe to soon to sell to our kids...)

So, for a start when we instill goodness we hope to get goodness.... In this case, out of our children.

For now, my girls can grasp the "be grateful for the blessings" quite ok. The elder one can say like, "Its a blessing mummy can swim with us today since she doesn't have her period..."

And i go.... hokaaaay.. Thats a bit much, but gooood...

And the little one can go a bit further when she ever said, "I'm grateful that mummy still hasn't died so she can still cook, clean, play, read and tuck us to bed every night..."

Though i go, (in my heart) CHOIIII aah! (Touch Wood) I'll quip, you mean that's thee only stuff mummy's good for, huh? Then, she'll quickly rephrase, "I don't mean that i want you
to die but like i mean you're the best mummy ever and if you're not around, no one is going to do all that for us."

Then, as if not wanting to be further interrogated, she will give a loud yawn and bid me goodnight.

Sooooo, they do know they're blessed! Haha!

Geesh... Children say the querk-iest things, ay..

Reflection is good for adults too!

Cheerios.