Modern Gratitude Jar: One Simple Way To Raise Happy Kids

Inside: Use this modern gratitude jar as a dead simple way to raise grateful kids. It’s complete with free printables to create your own at home in a flash!

It was the 1.09 millionth time this month I heard a request from my 5 year old:

“I really want a Ninja Turtle bad guy so my Ninja Turtles can fight him.”

Ugh.

I not-so-silently groaned at this familiar statement. Every week there was a different story about how he wanted such-and-such toy so he could play merrily all day and be completely fulfilled in life. Maybe those weren’t his exact words, but he always did try to sell me on the idea of why he needed new toys.

It drove me nuts. And not for the reason you might think.

You see, I don’t want to raise a materialistic child, but what was even worse was that he was basically acting just like me. Sure, I never told him that I wanted that new floral dress, or that new blush that would be the perfect complement to my skin tone, or a better washer and dryer, but I definitely told my husband. And guess who must have been listening and internalizing all these discussions so sneakily from the sidelines?

And guess who must have been listening and internalizing all these discussions so sneakily from the sidelines?

My impressionable 5-year-old. #momfail. And while I don’t think it’s solely my fault he wants new toys, I know I wasn’t helping the situation.

I Resolved To Change My Attitude (& Hopefully His Too)

I’ve heard time and time again that a gratitude journal is an effective way to combat feelings of unfulfilled wants, but I am the worst at keeping any sort of journal. I could fill a small landfill with the amount of journals I have with 3-5 pages written in them.

But then I had a thought:

Why not make it as easy as possible to record what I’m grateful for? Like, 30 seconds easy?

So I did.

The Modern Gratitude Jar

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I ended up creating a gratitude jar from a basic mason jar so the entire family could record one thing they are grateful for each day. And bonus, I’m sharing the free printables with you so you too can make your own family gratitude jar in an instant.

If you know me, then you know that I’m drawn to a clean, modern aesthetic. I created this modern gratitude jar in a simple, fun and kid-friendly design to help encourage participation. But I have another awesome secret on how to get your family on board with participating! 

Monthly Family Party

Are you ready for this?

I told my boys each day we would record at least one thing we are grateful for and then in a month we would have a mini gratitude party. 

This monthly party is the idea behind the “OMG Jar” since O.M.G. stands for Our Monthly Gratitude. The jar labels and the slips both have “OMG” on them for a youthful twist to the traditional gratitude jar.

We chose to have our gratitude party on a designated Sunday each month. To get us in that party mode we always have a delicious treat. Our family is obsessed with the Immaculate Baking Company’s amazingly delicious gluten free chocolate cookie mix. They’re ridiculously easy to prep and only take about 10 minutes from start to wonderfully, gooey melt-in-your-mouth cookie heaven finish.

After we serve up the yummy cookies we sit together and open up all the folded cards and have the family guess who wrote each gratitude slip.

We’ve only had our mini party a few times so far, but it’s a wonderful feeling of gratitude and family love when we spend some time just having fun and reflecting on the previous month’s little moments.

I hope it develops into a new family tradition that everyone looks forward to. It’s too soon to tell if it has combatted all the “I wants” but it’s a big step in the right direction!

Recommended Resources To Make Your Own Monthly Gratitude Jar

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Now you tell me: Would you try a gratitude jar in your family? Let me know in the comments below.

Find More Free Printables For The Family Here;

• Family Rules Free Printable
• Funny Jokes For Kids Lunch Notes
• First Day of School Signs Free Printables