[Reading time about 4 minutes]
A wonderful value to teach children of all ages is the value of giving and being thankful for all that we have. These values have a rippling effect on the pond of life.
Children are not born with giving hearts, thankfulness and a willingness to share. They have to be taught at an early age. Yes, some children do indeed share and give to others more easily than other children. Some children find this a real challenge to learn. It is just like saying please and thank you; it does not come naturally we have to be taught.
When I was growing up I was privileged to have a mom that said that please and thank you were the golden words. I can see the value she was teaching me at an early age. These words count.
In a world that has so much instant gratification and access to many things, it has become challenging to bring our children’s awareness of how much they have and be thankful for everything they have.
Every year a great opportunity arises to teach our children just that. In fact, in Africa, we are privileged to celebrate Thanksgiving twice. Thanksgiving in America happens in autumn when the last of the harvest is collected. It is the 4th Thursday in November, which means Thanksgiving will be on Thursday the 24th of November this year. It is a wonderful day to share, give and be thankful for all we have with our families, friends and those around us.
It is great fun to make a Traditional Thanksgiving meal just like they do in America each year. That would include a roast turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn or cornbread, cranberry sauce and a pumpkin pie.
What is Thanksgiving all about? The celebration started many years ago when the first settlers took in their first harvest. They were so grateful for their crops and the food they had grown for their families and the community.
It was decided that a thanksgiving meal would be served to celebrate this goodness. It became a tradition and is still celebrated today in America.
In Africa, our autumn falls in May each year, on Thursday the 26th of May, we will celebrate Thanksgiving this year.
We are so fortunate to celebrate this wonderful tradition twice in one year. In Africa, we have so many different traditional foods as we have so many different cultures. Traditional foods in Africa would be potjiekos, vetkoek, bunny chow, biltong, braaivleis, pickle fish, malva pudding, milk tart and koeksisters to name but a few.
Invite family and friends around for a meal and celebration. When everyone is gathered around the Thanksgiving table each person has the opportunity to say what they are thankful for.
Have you ever considered establishing such a great tradition for your family?
Why not give it a try this year and make sure that the value of giving, sharing and Thankfulness will be nurtured in the heart of your children, who will be the next generation.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
