Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” – Proverb
“Mommy, counting sheep is so boring!”
“Mommy, I cannot stop my mind from thinking!”
“Mommy I can’t lay still!”
“Mommy I’m not tired!”
“Mommy my brain is wide awake!”
Every night I hear one of these sentences. My oldest is 7 years old. He has struggled with sleep and calming his body his entire life. As a baby, he was colicky and restless. I would lay in his crib, holding him close until he fell asleep. Since his diagnosis, we now use prescribed medication to also aid in helping him calm his mind and reduce his anxiety, but this “ABC game of gratitude” also helps.
As we count down to calm down, say our prayers, and talk about our day, we begin our ABC’s of gratitude.
Now, it took some practice in the beginning, and honestly, we have never even made it halfway through the alphabet. Around the letter “H”, I hear, “OK mom, I am getting sleepy, can we stop”.
So, for all those struggling at bedtime – maybe give this game a try!
Start with A: Each person takes a turn saying something that they are grateful for starting with the letter. Often, we lay together laughing out loud about the things we are grateful for!
When you have boys, things always turn to complete silliness!
A: I am grateful for Aunt Jenny, Apples, Adventures, Animals, Answered prayers, A lot of things 😊
B: I am grateful for Blueberries, Brothers, Bathrooms, Books, Balls, Boogers, Burps, Basketballs
C: I am grateful for Computers, Cars, Clocks, Cooking, Coffee, Chocolate, Cookies, Cake, Choices
D: I am grateful for Davis, Dreams, Daddy, Dorks, Dinners together, Diapers
E: I am grateful for Elias, Evan, Eggs, Elevators, Electricity, Every day we spend together
F: Family, Friends, Freedom, Faith, Future, Focus, Farts 😊
This game has been a lynchpin in our nightly routine. The game is fun! It teaches gratefulness, it allows for time together, it reminds us to thank God for the gifts in our life, and it makes us giggle. When we play this game, we start to feel good from the inside out.
I believe that an attitude of gratitude is good not only for the body and the mind but for our overall happiness. When you have a positive attitude, you become more aware of all the good things in your life, therefore automatically enhancing your mood.
Now it’s your turn to give this game a try! I promise you will not be disappointed.