Raising Teens Who Are Grateful
By guest author
KAYLA WRIGHT
Life Training Christian Counseling
Licensed Christian Counselor
Specialist in Counseling for Teens
The end of the year is approaching, and the holiday season is upon us. This time of year can come with lots of added stress trying to plan and attend all of the festivities. Kids can get caught up in the comparison of what other families may be getting to do that they are not, and, as Theodore Roosevelt once said, “comparison is a thief of joy.” It is important to create an atmosphere of gratitude this holiday season to make the most of your family time.
Teach Them To Be Thankful To God First
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Psalm 107:1
Begin with teaching your teens to be thankful for God’s love. His love is constant through all things. It makes it possible for us to learn from our mistakes and gives us the power to forgive those around us. His love makes healthy relationships possible. In His love we find joy and hope. His mercies are new every morning! (Lamentations 3:23) Teaching your children to be mindful of God’s love gives them a perspective of gratitude that never ends, because God’s love never ends!
Show Them How To Value Eternal, Not Material Things
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:20-21
Help your teens to value heavenly treasures over the treasures of this world. Lead them in serving within your church and in your community. Spend time volunteering in your local soup kitchen or food pantry and share love to those in need. As your teens find joy in serving others, they will express gratitude in the growth of God’s kingdom. Teach them how to be thankful for the seeds of joy they sow in each interaction, as well as how to rejoice when one lost soul comes to Christ! These heavenly things last long after toys and phones.
Help Them Find Contentment In Their Circumstances
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:11b-13
In this life, our surroundings are not consistent. Paul says the secret of being content in all situations is found in Christ! Our teens need to know how to express gratitude regardless of how finances in the home look during that season. Help them to often reflect on the cross each day, giving thanks for the sacrifice made to ensure our eternal life with God. Create conversations around how to be mindful of Christ in every season, and allow your teens to think of how they can include Him in their own lives. As they begin to think for themselves, they will grow in their mindfulness of Christ, and will praise him regardless of their circumstances surrounding their holidays.
Remind Them To Not Worry About What They Cannot Control
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:34
Help your teen find rest in God as Provider. Restlessness comes when we worry about things we cannot control. Satan is intentional about distracting us with what we don’t have. We can begin to worry over what God has already promised to provide. Help your teens learn how to pray for their “daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Teach them how to be thankful for the daily provisions the Lord gives, just like he gave the manna to the Israelites (Exodus 16). As they focus on trusting the Lord to provide for their needs today and tomorrow, they find peace in the unknown. This peace then yields gratitude for God’s consistent presence and provision, bringing joy back into the chaos of the holiday season.
Christian Counseling Can Help Your Teen Be More Grateful
Kayla Wright joined the counseling team at Life Training Christian Counseling in Louisville, Kentucky in May of this year. The passion of her counseling work is to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Teens and pre-teens.
Kayla is nationally licensed as a Christian Counselor by the National Christian Counselors Association. She possesses an advanced board certification in Child & Adolescent Therapy. Kayla gained extensive experience and credibility in providing counseling to teens and pre-teens during her tenure on the staff of Revive Christian Counseling in Owensboro and Madisonville, Kentucky. She is highly skilled in teenage substance abuse counseling and teenage depression counseling.
Kayla Wright, as well as each of our other counselors, offers convenient sessions at Life Training Christian Counseling in Louisville, Kentucky. She also offers online counseling via Zoom or FaceTime. Please click on this link to learn much more about how our Counseling for teens and pre-teens in Louisville, Kentucky can help the child you love find the highly-effective, Christ-centered help they need. Contact us today at 502-717-5433, or by email at kayla@lifetrainingcounseling.org