Raising Grateful Kids in a Me-First World: Why the 30-Day Kids Gratitude Challenge Might Be Exactly What We Need
Let’s be real, mama, we’re in the trenches.
Between making meals, managing meltdowns, folding that never-ending laundry pile (seriously, how do they go through six outfits a day?!), and trying to hold our own sanity together with coffee and Jesus, we’re also trying to raise good humans.
Not just polite kids — grateful ones.
Kids who notice the small stuff, who don’t crumble when life isn’t fair, who can say “thank you” without being prompted, and who mean it.
But in today’s world, that’s not easy. Entitlement is everywhere. Gratitude? It’s quieter. But here’s the good news — it’s not gone. And with a little intention, we can bring it back into our homes.
Why Gratitude Matters (More Than Ever)
Gratitude isn’t just a feel-good attitude. It’s a life-changer. Research shows it boosts emotional resilience, improves relationships, and even helps kids cope better with stress and anxiety. And let’s be honest — we all want our children to be more content, more thoughtful, and more grounded.
But the real kicker? Gratitude is taught.
It’s shaped in the everyday. In dinner table conversations. In thank-you notes scribbled in crayon. In bedtime prayers whispered over tangled blankets and tired hearts.
Enter: The 30-Day Kids Gratitude Challenge
That’s why I created the Kids Gratitude Challenge — not as another item to pile on your to-do list, but as a gentle, fun rhythm to weave into your child’s day. It’s practical, simple, and just the right amount of structure to make gratitude stick.
This 30-day printable challenge includes:
- A daily gratitude journal with prompts like “What was your favorite thing you did today?” and “What are you thankful for?”
- Gratitude BINGO — a fun, interactive way for your kids to practice kindness and thankfulness in real life.
- Creative prompts like the Gratitude Alphabet, Gratitude Tree, and My Gratitude Chain that get kids thinking (and moving).
- Bonus activities like writing wishes for others on clouds, drawing their happy place, and mapping out where they’ve traveled.
It’s colorful, creative, and best of all — kid-approved.
How to Use It Without Overwhelm
No pressure to complete it perfectly. No gold stars required.
You can print the pages, stick them on the fridge, tuck the journal sheets in their lunchbox, or make it a cozy end-of-the-day routine. Some moms turn it into a family challenge, filling out the gratitude leaves together or seeing who gets “Gratitude BINGO” first.
The goal isn’t perfection. Its presence.
Presence in helping your child notice what they already have.
Presence in teaching them that joy often grows in the soil of appreciation.
Presence in showing them that thankfulness isn’t just for November — it’s a lifestyle.
A Few Gratitude-Inspired Ideas to Try This Week:
- Ask your child at bedtime: “What was the best part of your day?”
- Do one Gratitude Bingo square together — like leaving a thank-you note for the mail carrier.
- Write or draw one thing they’re thankful for and hang it up where everyone can see.
It’s in these little moments that big character is built.
Mama, You’re Planting Seeds
I know it feels like you’re repeating yourself, and I know some days it seems like your kids don’t get it. But don’t underestimate the seeds you’re sowing. Gratitude may not bloom overnight, but it grows slowly, deeply, and beautifully.
You are doing holy, heart-shaping work. Keep going.
And if you need a hand (or a printable), the 30-Day Kids Gratitude Challenge is here to help you raise kids who see the good and express gratitude.
Because thankful hearts grow in homes just like yours. ~connie
You can grab your copy of the challenge at HERE — and don’t forget to share your family’s gratitude moments with us on Instagram @conniealbers. Let’s raise a generation that chooses gratitude on purpose.
