Who and What Are We Thankful For?
Who and What Are We Thankful For?
Here at True Balance Karate in Downers Grove, Illinois, we have a social-emotional learning program called True Character. I am Master H, the owner and chief instructor here at the studio, and I have two master’s degrees in education. We’ve developed this curriculum to meet the needs of our youngest students who are three or four, and our oldest student who is 85.
Recap
This month we are talking about thankfulness. Last week we defined it as being happy and grateful for all that we have. We discussed how it becomes almost automatic for kids to say thank you when using respectful words. However, it is important to take a moment and think about what we are truly thankful for.
People in our lives
This week, we are talking about who and what we are thankful for. I’m sure the minute I asked, “Who are you thankful for?” a whole list of people came to mind: parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, grandparents, teachers, coaches, and others who have played important roles in our lives. We are grateful for them and for the lessons and knowledge they have shared with us.
We can also be thankful for others, like mail carriers, package deliverers, garbage collectors, waiters, waitresses, and cashiers at the grocery store. Anyone who provides a service for us deserves our gratitude. For example, I have extensive knowledge about child development and taught special education for 15 years, but if I tried to cut my own hair, it would be a disaster. So, I am grateful for people with those skills that I do not possess.
Showing gratitude
Practicing awareness and understanding that we can be thankful for everyone we encounter in our lives is important. Showing gratitude can be as simple as a kind smile, saying thank you, holding the door open, or giving a letter, hug, or drawing to someone we are close to.
When considering what we are thankful for, we should be specific. It’s not just about saying thank you, but understanding why we are thankful. For instance, my son had a school project where he needed to bake something. He chose to bake bread, so he called his grandfather, who loves to bake. Together, they baked bread for his project. My son was grateful for the experience and has since made various types of bread because of what he learned from his grandfather.
We might be thankful for our health, the ability to go to the gym, heading off to school, or having a special treat in our lunch. Practicing thankfulness involves truly recognizing and defining what we are grateful for, not just paying lip service.
Thanks, and I’ll see you on the mat!
True Balance Karate was founded in 2012 by Master Sue and Paul Helsdon.
We offer kids karate lessons for pre-school children ages 3-6 and elementary age kids ages 7 and up. These lessons are designed to develop the critical building blocks kids need — specialized for their age group — for school excellence and later success in life.
Our adult martial arts training is a complete adult fitness and conditioning program for adults who want to lose weight, get (and stay) in shape, or learn self-defense in a supportive environment.
Instructors can answer questions or be contacted 24 hours of the day, 7 days a week at 630-663-2000. You can also contact us here. True Balance Karate is at 406 Ogden Ave Downers Grove Illinois, 60515 (next to CVS) Check out our Facebook!