Teaching Kids Gratitude

This week, I was a little frustrated with one of my children who wasn't quite as thankful as I thought he should be.  We teach our children to write or say thanks after gifts, we require them to write our their blessings and verbalize what they are thankful for.  We encourage them to help give and be involved in our giving.  Personal philanthropy is something I want to teach them regardless of our personal financial situation.  However, once in a while the tendency towards selfishness still creeps up.  So what's a parent to do in a society where kids have more than their average counterparts around the world?   I think the best approach is to relentlessly battle ingratitude.  Do the same things we already do and more, to teach and emphasize giving as a way of life.   Continually set the example for helping others and when possible put a face on it by allowing them to see human suffering at age appropriate levels.  Allow them to feel the inner satisfaction that comes when we help others.   Getting gratitude out of our children isn't simple, but thankfully the concept is.  And sadly, there are many opportunities locally and around the world for us to help those less fortunate.   A lot of parents ask me about how to deal with teaching children to be wary of those who are taking advantage.  My advice to them is to err on the side of generosity instead of skepticism.  You can teach a generous person to be wise and cautious.  It is a little harder to change a skeptic and teach them to trust.