Special Replay: How to be Thankful-er

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast a special replay: How to be Thankful-er!

How to be Thankful-er

How to be Thankful-er

Gratitude is important, whether it is Thanksgiving time or not. In this episode, Sabrina, Vicki and Kym are together to talk about gratitude and how to be more thankful!

Thankfulness is a healthy life skill for homeschool high schoolers (and their parents) to learn and practice. So let’s get started:

We are thankful to you, all our 7th Sisters and 7th Siblings. (Who are our 7th Sisters? Well, there are six of us 7Sisters: Sabrina, Vicki, Kym, Allison, Marilyn and Sara. That means YOU are our 7th Sisters…or 7th Siblings for you dads out there.)

Max Lucado says in his book, Anxious for Nothing, that teenagers’ average levels of anxiety are comparable to the anxiety of people who were in inpatient mental health programs in the 1950s. Did you catch that? That is shocking information- so much pain for folks in America these days.

Why is life so stressful these days?

Our fast-paced, photoshopped, achievement oriented culture has put a lot of pressure on teens, such as;

  • Social media shows a picture perfect world
  • Pressures from the digital sphere often push teens to feel they need to live as if everything is an “event” requiring:
    • preparation
    • presentation
    • planning
  • FOMO (in case you forgot: Fear of Missing Out
  • We live in a high performance world that expects teens to achieve, achieve, achieve
  • Also, these days, the covid pandemic and other crises

What to to help our teens and ourselves feel less stress and anxiety?

We need to learn gratitude! The University of California’s Greater Good Science Center has studied things that make people feel better. They have found that people who practice written gratitude tend to improve in mood and health.

One study that Greater Good Science Center did found that people who did a written gratitude list experienced:

  • Improvement in anxiety and depression levels
  • Fewer sick visits to the doctor
  • Observable change in one of the brain’s calm-down centers

Imagine that! Science and research catches up with Scripture. We know that Scripture has been reminding us to be thankful for thousands of years!

  • Ways to notice the good things in your world
  • Ways to model gratitude for your teens and youngers

Kym recalled that being in seventh grade started a new school. It was a different setting than she was used to: from a school in the city to a suburban setting. On her first day there, she was feeling nervous. On her way back from gym class, she realized,

“Wow! I could just be positive and it would make my life better. Not only that but it might make life better for someone else!”

Kym is so grateful today that God wired her for gratitude. It has helped her through stressful times and struggles ever since that time. Here is a resource Kym finds inspiring:

The books of Jon Gordon. He is a person who was naturally negative but learned to be positive after being challenged by his wife. One of the thankfulness practices that Kym learned from him is to take a daily “thankfulness walk”.

Kym also practices a nightly review of the positive things that:

  • She has done that day
  • Others have done for her that day
  • Anything else she can think of to be thankful for
  • Here’s a post with more Kym-like ideas for thanksgiving

Sabrina points out that Kym has been a gratitude inspiration to her and her son-in-law during a beach trip their families all took together. In fact, Sabrina’s son-in-law told her that when he “grew up” he wanted to be Kym because she was so enthusiastic and noticed the good things in life. Sabrina noticed that Kym was even blessed by seeing the well-done lines in a parking lot!

Vicki also mentioned she enjoys the encouragement of books by John Maxwell.

It is much harder to angst and spazz when standing before the throne of God if you start the prayer with gratitude!- Sabrina Justison

Start prayer with gratitude

Sabrina has found that whenever she is troubled about something, she wants to pray about it. However, she found that when she starts the prayer with “thank you”, she actually feels better than starting with the troubles.

With that in mind you can remember Sabrina’s favorite quote:

It is much harder to angst and spazz when standing before the throne of God if you start the prayer with gratitude!

How do you help teens learn to be thankful-er?

Teens sometimes think parents are irritating if they lecture about any topic. However, you can model gratitude for them!

  • Take them on thankful walks and talk about what you are doing on the walk
  • Model thankfulness and gratitude
  • Keep a gratitude journal daily (and let the family see you work on it sometimes)
  • Pray that God put role models in their lives who will live a lifestyle of thankfulness
  • Model “taking a break” for self-care and gratitude

You can also ask them about ways they could practice being a grateful person. (They might have an app for that!)

Also, be sure that you:

  • Occasionally thank them for daily good behaviors
  • Alway thank them for special kindnesses they have done
  • This attitude of thankfulness tends to improve relationships and work habits!

Join Sabrina, Vicki and Kym for lots of tips on how to be thankful-er.

What are some good resources that you have found for learning or practicing gratitude?

In the meantime, enjoy a few helpful posts from Vicki’s coaching business and 7SistersHomeschool.com!

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How to be Thankful-er

 


Uncover the Happiness Myth

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

The Roadschool Moms tackle the happiness myth in Episode#165. This first episode of the team’s three-part Mythbusters series reveals shocking truths about this superficial state of mind. The replay is a live recording by the Roadschool Moms team from the road. Kimberly Travaglino, co-founder of Fulltime Familiesbroadcasts from their SouthEast Florida Coast. Across the country, Mary Beth Goff, the Road Trip Teacher calls in from west central Indiana. The OTR duo are on a mission to bust up the happiness myth to Roadschool Moms everywhere. Hit the replay to hear more about this revelation that will unsabatoge your homeschool and your life.

Fact

When googled, happiness comes up 567,000,000 times. In addition to the definition of happiness, guides to finding it, secrets to keeping it, and an official happiness index can also be found. If visual happiness is what you’re looking for get your scrolling finger ready as you can find hundreds of thousands of images of smiley faces, sunsets, rainbows, and unicorns to represent. What does this mean? The world is obsessed with focusing on this temporary, external instead of reaching deep inside to find joy from within.

Myth

Happiness isn’t a real emotion. In fact, happiness isn’t even a feeling. Even Websters agrees it is just a state. Happiness comes and goes like the wind. Finding joy, now that is real. Make a joyful noise, no matter what the situation. The more joy you activate in your daily life, the stronger connection you will have to your faith, your family, and the life surrounding each.

More about Roadschool Moms

Looking for a roadmap for your next learning adventure? Scroll through the RSM library on iTunes to find more than 150 podcast replays.

Homeschool enrollment is on the rise. As a result, more and more families are moving into a home on wheels. Further, the Roadschool Moms record this broadcast to present resources that meet the challenges of today’s roadschooler. Kimberly Travaglino, co-founder of Fulltime Families, and Mary Beth Goff, the creator of Road Trip Teacher, team up every week to offer listeners a fresh take on homeschooling while traveling full time across America’s backyard.

Roadschool Moms:  Season 12


 


HSHSP Ep 86: How to be Thankful-er

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on HSHSP Ep 86: How to be Thankful-er!

HSHSP Ep 86 How to be Thankful-er!

HSHSP Ep 86: How to be Thankful-er

Gratitude is important, whether it is Thanksgiving time or not.

Max Lucado says in Anxious for Nothing that teenagers’ average levels of anxiety are comparable to the anxiety of people who were in inpatient mental health programs in the 1950s.

Why?

  • Social media shows a picture perfect world
  • Social media requires a lot of preparation, presentation and planning if you’re going to escape FOMO

What to do?

We need to learn gratitude! The University of California has studied things that make people feel better. They have found that people who practice written gratitude tend to improve in mood and health.

Imagine that! Scripture has been reminding us to be thankful for thousands of years!

  • Ways to notice the good things in your world
  • Ways to model gratitude for your teens and youngers

Have you read the books of Jon Gordon or John Maxwell. Both are great sources for learning gratitude.

Or remember Sabrina’s favorite quote:

It is much harder to angst and spazz when standing before the throne of God.

Join Sabrina, Vicki and Kym for lots of tips on how to be thankful-er.

In the meantime, enjoy a few helpful posts from Vicki’s coaching business and 7SistersHomeschool.com!

The Healing Power of Thankfulness

Simple How-to Guide to Create a Gratitude Journal

A Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Whole Family

 

HSHSP Ep 86: How to be Thankful-er


Special Thanks to our Network Sponsor!


We’d like to thank our Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network sponsor Sony and their new movie, The Star, the Story of the First Christmas – Coming in Theaters November 17th!

Visit TheStarMovie.com to learn more.


How Homeschoolers Can Express Gratitude

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

We all want to raise grateful children. But it can be a challenge to find ways to teach them to express gratitude. In this episode, I share groups of people who are deserving of our gratitude as homeschoolers and unique ways we and our children can thank them.

Unique Ways for Homeschoolers to Express Gratitude: Podcast


SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES or ON STITCHER

You can also read this podcast as a blog post.

Links

How to Leave an ITunes Review from Your iPhone or iPad

Black Friday Savings on Psychowith6

the homeschool motivation on demand podcast episode

2:1 conference

Grammar Galaxy

Which of these unique expressions of thanks do you want to make first? Let’s chat about it on Facebook.

Have a happy homeschool week!

Ways to Teach Children Gratitude

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Who doesn’t want grateful children? In this episode, I’ll share six powerful ways for teaching children gratitude. They have made a difference for my family.

Powerful ways to teach children gratitude: podcast


[box] SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES or ON STITCHER[/box]

Teaching Tip of the Week

Our Journey Westward Nature Studies – use code FALL FUN for 20% off

Our Journey Westward

LINKS

World Vision

YWAM Biographies

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn from 7Sisters American Literature

Feed My Starving Children

Samaritan’s Purse Shoebox ministry

Prayer Journal– Get your free download and also receive updates from Psychowith6, including sanity savers and exclusive discounts

 Grammar Galaxy

MBFLP 106 – Teaching Gratefulness

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

MBFLP - Learning Gratefulness V

This Thanksgiving-week episode looks at the mandate to be grateful – it’s an expectation and a command in the Bible to be thankful people, people who aren’t marked by discontentment, grumbling, and strife. We’ve probably read and memorized lots of verses about that … but how can we teach it to our family? How can we live it ourselves? In a fallen world full of uncertainty and fears, can we find beauty, delight, and joy? Emphatically YES – join us and find out!

Laundry and Dishes and Dust–Oh My! FAH Episode 8

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Laundry dishes dust

Laundry and dishes and dust–oh my! Laundry and dishes and dust!

Do you ever feel like you’re walking through a dark, creepy forest, but instead of the unknown threats of lions and tigers and bears, you’re facing a never-ending mountain of laundry and dishes and dust?

Sometimes the busyness of life can overwhelm us and tempt us to forget the profound significance of our work as homemakers. In this episode, we’ll consider the importance of homemaking with a grateful heart; learn some practical tips for housework, organization, and cooking; and find encouragement in the real significance of even the seemingly small tasks of our daily lives.