Gratitude For The Holidays: Why It Is So Helpful For Neurodiverse Kids
This time of year can be difficult for neurodiverse children. As part of our ongoing series about navigating the holidays with intense children, this post covers the value of gratitude practice in social emotional development and provides ideas and resources to help you help your child.
While all of us want to raise thankful children who understand and embrace gratitude, the truth is that practicing gratitude can have significant, additional benefits for neurodiverse children.
Why Gratitude Matters In Social Emotional Development
Nemours Kids’ Health Survey shows that gratitude impacts social emotional health and can help a child struggling with emotional volatility.
Gratitude doesn’t just feel good. Making a habit of gratitude can also be good for us. Like other positive emotions, feeling grateful on a regular basis can have a big effect on our lives. Brain research shows that positive emotions are good for our bodies, minds, and brains.
- Positive emotions open us up to more possibilities. They boost our ability to learn and make good decisions.
- Positive emotions balance out negative emotions.
- One positive emotion often leads to another.
- Gratitude can lead to positive actions.
- Gratitude ultimately helps us build better relationships.
Because neurodiverse children can struggle socially and emotionally, gratitude practice is one way to help them practice in safe and meaningful ways.
Gratitude For Kids And The Holidays
This time of year presents real life, practical circumstances for our kids to use to safely practice gratitude. Whether it’s donating a gift to the Toys for Tots drive or simply thanking grandma for a less than desirable gift, the chances to cultivate this social emotional skill surround us all season long. With this in mind, I share ideas and resources in this week’s episode of the podcast, to help you get started.
The Raising Lifelong Learners Podcast Episode #179 – Gratitude For The Holidays: Why It Is So Helpful For Neurodiverse Kids
As we continue our discussion of how to navigate the holiday season with intense kiddos, today’s focus is on gratitude. This includes ideas for how to help our families practice gratitude during the holidays, and why it matters so much for neurodiverse kids.
Links And Resources From Today’s Show:
- SPONSOR: CTC Math
- The Learner’s Lab, a Raising Lifelong Learners community created just for your quirky family!
- Managing Your Child’s Intensity During the Holidays
- Autism and the Holidays | Julie’s School Performance Story
- RLL 33: The Holidays and Your Differently-Wired Child
- Anxiety Toolkit Resources
- Respecting Your Child’s Sensory Needs: When You Have to Say NO
- Raising Twice-Exceptional Children
- Books to Inspire Kindness and Thankfulness
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