Joanna Grzeszczak - Family Gratitude Project: Raise a Thankful Child with 52 Fun Activities and Crafts for Every Season

the Family Gratitude Project

Raise a Thankful Child with 52 Fun Activities and Crafts for Every Season

Joanna Grzeszczak

Ulysses Press

Text and photographs copyright 2018 Joanna Grzeszczak. Design and concept copyright 2018 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Published by:

Ulysses Press

P.O. Box 3440

Berkeley, CA 94703

www.ulyssespress.com

ISBN: 978-1-61243-859-7

Acquisitions editor: Casie Vogel

Managing editor: Claire Chun

Project editor: Claire Sielaff

Editor: Lauren Harrison

Proofreader: Renee Rutledge

Front cover design: Ashley Pine

Interior design/layout: what!design @ whatweb.com

Photographs: Joanna Grzeszczak

Distributed by Publishers Group West

IMPORTANT NOTE TO READERS: This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any trademarked brands or products mentioned or pictured within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The author and publisher encourage readers to patronize the quality brands and products pictured and mentioned in this book.

Contents

To my daughters, Lilianne and Mila-Rose, my crafting companions, sweetest helpers, and imaginative co-creators of this book!

Introduction

As all busy moms and dads know, a lot of parenting is about sleepless nights, embracing imperfections, and making things up as you go! Thats why this book is not about being a perfect Pinterest parent and its not about raising an artistic genius. Forget about creating picture-perfect craftsyou already have enough stress in your life. You dont need to have any particular skill or talent to craft with your kids, and you dont even need a lot of energy. Most of these activities are designed for regular busy parents and regular crazy kids with short attention spans!

This book is for you to have a year of fun with your kids, a year of activities, laughs, and projects that will make you feel closer together, more grateful for your everyday lives, and thankful for each other.

You dont even need a craft room full of fancy equipment. All you need is a table to gather around, and a box or two with dollar-store supplies.

Why Focus on Gratitude?

Gratitude is an attitude and a way of thinking that benefits our health, satisfaction in life, relationships, and overall happiness. It is an important part of a mindful lifestyle because it helps us appreciate what we have instead of focusing on what we dont.

But gratitude isnt just for adults! By teaching kids to feel, embrace, and express thankfulness, we teach them to see the positives in life and to behave in positive ways. And this leads to fewer anxieties and more positive feelings such as joy, love, and happiness!

When I started this project with my kids, I realized that even though I tried hard not to spoil my daughters, they were not grateful for much in their lives. They would receive gifts and accept them like little princesses. Special outings and treats were another natural and expected thing for them. Even my husband didnt really see all the blessings that we had: a healthy family, a home to call our own, and a social circle around us. Hed compare himself to the ideal in his head instead and feel unsatisfied with his life.

But after doing these activities and projects together, something started to change. My kids started to say thank you after a meal or a simple walk to the park, and they were more excited by giving than getting. Theyd ask if we could make a little gift for a family member or bring a special treat to our neighbors. My husband stopped constantly comparing himself with his friends and his ideas of what he should be and started appreciating his life more. As for me an eternal optimistI felt my heart grow with gratitude more than ever before.

Why Gratefulness Is Difficult

Its very easy for us to fall into the trap of negative thinking.

Thats why working on a thankful approach to life is actually a very difficult mental exercise. Its hard to realize when anxieties and negative thoughts have taken control of our thought processes. But by focusing on the good things in our life, our achievements and the people who are there for us, we can push back against negative thoughts and habits.

By bringing gratitude into our everyday lives, we can feel happier, more satisfied, more connected to others, and more grounded in reality. Gratitude helps us focus on the positive, notice the little things, appreciate the efforts of those around us, and care for the environment and the natural world surrounding us. I believe that adopting this attitude and teaching it to our kids is one of the best things we can do for our families! And thats why this is a family project.

Through simple activities and crafts, we can teach our kids to have a grateful approach to life, as well as help them open their minds to positive thinking and a spirit of giving.

I hope that this book will help your family nurture a thankful home full of grateful hearts just like it did for mine!

Spring Projects

Potato Stamps

Potato stamps are one of those inexpensive crafts that you and your kids can do anything withdecorate a pillowcase, update an old tote bag, make a fun print, and more! This craft encourages kids to make a simple and fun print from scratch. The prints make excellent gifts for any person who has helped or encouraged your child this week.

My favorite potato stamp shape is a flower, but you can have fun and try making a heart, a tree, or whatever else you can imagine.

ALL YOU NEED:

large potato (russet or sweet)

knife

paint

plate

thick paper

frame

Start by cutting a clean potato in half. Then, carve out your shape. Remember that the face of the stamp should be flat and even, or else it wont translate evenly onto your paper. For safety reasons, youll want to do this part yourself, especially if your children are younger.

When its time to stamp, pour a little bit of paint on a plate, making sure not to use too much paint at a time. Stamp it onto the thick paper, or whatever surface youre using, to make your print.

Once the print is dry, its time to frame it and gift it to a person that makes your kids feel grateful!

You can also try making prints by using lemons, apples, or pears cut in half. Just make sure that your lemon is on the dry side, or youll be squeezing out the juice on paper instead of stamping it! You can also use other vegetables cut vertically, like okra, mushrooms, or peppers.