Thankful Children

I want to know how you raise thankful children. My niece and nephews had a great Christmas and received pretty much every gift on their lists and yet they were very unthankful for it. My sister mentioned that when they found out they got a PS3 (which they have previously had no gaming systems) they were not excited at all but were just "ok, cool." When they opened gifts from me 2 out of 5 wanted to know what else I got for them and pushed what I had carefully picked out aside.

I was curious about the ungratefulness and so I questioned a couple of them. When asked what they got they said "nothing." I go "really nothing, you opened no presents?!" They reply with "yeah, I got a shirt and a new beanie" So I go "that's it? everything else I can go to your house and return because you don't even remember having it?" And only at that point can they name the cool things they got; games and toys they asked for. Though one kid even after the threat still swore up and down he received no toys only clothes which I know can't possibly be true.

I thought maybe that is just how kids are these days. You know always want want want. I mean that is how most adults live, it is the society we have created. Always wanted something better something more. I try to remember how grateful I was. I can remember the one year where we were extra poor and I was not grateful for the little I got. But when I was younger I think I remember that I was grateful. There was always one prized possession in the bunch that I cherished and was grateful for.

One of my cousins (Sandi) has a blog where she posts about her family. She has three little girls two are 6 and one is 4 and she also has one son who is 2. They are all very young so maybe that accounts for it. But in her blog she describes how grateful her kids are of what they received. She lists the gifts and it isn't anything extravagant; dolls, a scooter, playdoh, pet shop toys. So what makes a kid more grateful than another. Is it the way they are raised? Is it a standard of living? Is it just the type of emphasis on the gifts and the holiday in general? Or does it just boil down to if a kid is optimistic or pessimistic?

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE my niece and nephews! That is why I buy them gifts and not my own siblings or dad. But one day I will have kids of my own. And I see how difficult it was for my sister when her children didn't appreciate all she did for them. I would instead much rather have the kids that are grateful for what they receive. But I do know there is not just some formula and you can't just order grateful kids from a catalog. So like both of these parents (and many others I watch in curiosity) I will pray every day for them. That God will bless them no matter how they turn out. :)