When Sacrifice, Please and Thank You Are Not Enough

Introduction

When our children are minors, we work hard to do everything that we need to in order to provide for them as parents.

Making sacrifices is a big part of what we do. Here are a few examples of this. We will give up a gourmet cup of coffee that we want before work so our school-age children will purchase bake sale treats at school. We give up our time for our children to have a chance to participate in great activities programs. The sacrifices we make are endless.

We constantly display acts of kindness and love because we want to make them happy. All the special surprises we plan for them offer proof of this.

One of the noblest things we do as a parent is to teach our children manners. For them to be well-adjusted human beings as they matriculate through school and become contributing adult citizens within our society, they must display courteous behavior. Children need to be taught the importance of considering others during their earliest beginnings. Having good etiquette also contributes to your child’s positive self-image. So, good manners are associated with self-confidence.

Despite the sacrifices we make and how well-mannered our children are, sometimes a big deficit exists. Sometimes our children take us for granted as parents because they do not appreciate us. When this happens, we must take action so that a spirit of gratitude encompasses their being.

A Much Needed Lesson

When our children fail to appreciate us, they need to be taught lessons in gratitude. The use of object lessons offers practical ways for us to reinforce the importance of our children honoring and appreciating us.

Five object lessons are shown below that we can use to teach our children gratitude.

1. Go On Strike

Have your children become too comfortable with all that you do for them? Have they grown to “expect” you to things for them? If so, here is the perfect way to remedy their mindset.

Give your children fair warning by calling a strike on a designated day for a designated period. Do not transport your children to activities, prepare hot meals and favorite snacks, or perform special tasks for them that you usually do during your strike. Instead, depending on their age, let them grab a prepared snack from the refrigerator, heat their meal in the microwave, or make a sandwich. Allow them to sit out their activity, walk to it, or arrange their ride with a friend. When you stick to your strike plan, your children will shower you with appreciation with boldness and humility at the same time.

2. Charge For Your Services

Children of all ages typically have a stash of coins, bills, and gift cards. Some even have debit cards. When your children feel like you are obligated to take them here and there and cater to their every desire, simply make them pay up. Whether they pay you with pennies or dollar bills, let them experience what it feels like to use the money they have saved for special purchases to pay for your time. This will cause them to become more appreciative of you.

3. Have A Family Meeting

Holding a family meeting will give you a chance to be very open and honest with your children. They need to hear from you about how their neglectful and hurtful behavior has impacted you. This meeting should also be used to give your children a chance to develop a gratitude plan.

4. Put Your Child’s Favorite Thing In Time-Out

Whether it’s a toy, blanket, cellphone, or another technology device, take it away from your child for some time. Give them time to experience minutes or hours without their most treasured possession. Benefits may exist for older children to have their items placed in time-out for more than one day. Doing so will help them realize that having their possessions is a privilege and not a need. The hearts of once selfish, ungrateful children will suddenly burst with thanksgiving when you do this.

5. Make Your Child Go To Work

Hire your child. Set aside a day where your child is given a workday. Whether it lasts several minutes or several hours, give them a chance to experience what you do as a parent when you report to a job each day.

Give your child a list of responsibilities to complete in your home, garage, shed, or yard. Ensure that their clothing is conducive to their job. Hand them a packed lunch at the start of their workday and schedule as-needed breaks for them. Maintain high expectations for them to complete their workday with a spirit of excellence. There’s no better way to hold your child accountable for contributing to the quality of your family life than by putting them to work. Their work day will cause them to honor you with a higher level of sincerity.

A New Beginning Is My Conclusion

Tough love is an extension of the unconditional love that we parents have for our children. That love must guide us to teach our children life lessons.

Object lessons represent an example of these things.

Simply stated, our children must always appreciate us.

How do you respond when your children take you for granted?

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This story was originally published on Medium.com in ILLUMINATION-Curated.