When we give our kids holiday gifts, many of us can't wait to hear their appreciative cries of"thank you!"once the wrapping gets ripped off. But here's a tip: You'd be wise not to expect much gratitude from them for what they receive. Gratitude can make us happier, healthier, and even fitter. But do the kids show their gratitude for the stuff we buy them? All the research I've done has convinced me that it won't happen. One mom told me that when she asked her 16-year-old son to thank her for buying him a cellphone, he said, "But that's what moms should do." From a teenager's angle, it's a parent's responsibility to take care of the family. According to Dunham, Yale's assistant professor of psychology, "When teenagers code it that way, a gift is no longer something given freely and voluntarily"--it's just mom and dad living up to their obligation. Parents do have the right to demand good manners and children should thank sincerely whoever gives them something. But kids can't know how blessed they are unless they have a basis for comparison. And they don't learn that by a parent complaining that they're ungrateful. We need to give our children the gift of a wider world view. Show by example that gratitude isn't aboutstuff--which ultimately can't make any of us happy anyway.It's about realizing how lucky you are and paying your good fortune forward. You can collect all the charitable appeals and sit down together with the kids to go through them. You set the budget for giving and the kids decide how it's distributed. Once the conversation about gratitude gets started, it's much easier to continue all year. Also you can set up a family routine at bedtime where kids describe three things that have made them grateful. When kids go off to college, you can text them a picture each week of something that inspires your appreciation. Teaching children to focus on the positive and appreciate the good in their lives is perhaps the greatest gift we can give them. And we can all learn together that the things that really matter aren't on sale at a department store. What's the purpose of the author writing this text?
To explain the reason why children offer no gratitude to their parents. To give advice to parents on how to help children develop gratitude. To encourage parents to do things together with their children. To remind parents of their responsibility to educate their children.