How do you get children to appreciate things?

Answer 1

1. Don't buy them everything they want.

2. Don't buy them something every time you go to the store

3. If they break or lose something, sorry, it's gone. Don't replace it for them.

4. Give them chores to earn money. Have them tithe (if you are a Christian), put some in savings (at least 10%) & then let them use the rest to buy things they want (with your guidance, of course).

5. (for younger kids) Divide toys into "lots" and store some. Rotate lots every 2 to 4 weeks.

Answer 2

Taking things away only creates resentment, it doesn't create appreciation or thanks. We use that as a consequence for not taking care of things, but not to create an artificial sense of appreciation. Exposing them to people who can't have more is helpful too, volunteering for food drives, at homeless shelters, and orphanages is a wonderful way to display that they have more than most.

The best way to do it is to create opportunities in which they can be thankful, and be sure to verbalize YOUR (not telling them to be thankful) thanks for the situation. Modeling the behavior you want will work much better than saying that they need to feel a certain way. Taking my son to the bookstore, when we leave I'll say "Thanks Josh, for letting me have an hour with you at the store." When we go shopping I'll say "I'm so thankful that we have the ability to buy all the food we need." When we volunteer, when we leave we can get a snack at the store and I'll say "I am so thankful that we have a home to live in and the freedom to stop at mcdonald's for some fries." We also have at every meal the opportunity to say something special about the day. My husband and I both use their special thing to say how thankful we are that they had that opportunity. It sounds pollyanna, but kids learn what they are living. It might make you more thankful as well, all that practice ;-)

It may take a while, appreciation is not natural in a small child, who rightfully assumes that parents will provide their needs. It is the parent who has subverted the idea that their wants are needs as well.

Answer 3

Start taking things away. Or when they ask for something just simply say no b/c you don't appreciate anything. You can also sit down and talk to them depending on the age. Start off by telling them look I don't feel like you appreciate the things I do for you. Any relationship even with your child is give and take. They need to under stand you give these thing and you accept something in return (remaining appreciation)

Answer 4

I"m having this problem with my 4 year old right now. He doesn't treat some of his toys very well , say the view master and it's disc, you know. Slide the disc in and look into it, pull the little lever down to switch pictures? Anyways he tosses them around and says their flying saucers, which ends up bending and breaking some of them. I will not replace them.
He also does this with other toys, just generally suddenly doesn't put much care into them at all.
First off kids have to learn the hard way that once things break, that's it, no fixing or no getting a new one.
We've started going through his toys and taking a few out that he plays too rough with and set them aside. Whenever he doesn't play with it with care we take it away and put it up on shelf and simple say if you can take care of it you can't have it.
He doesn't appreciate alot of things adults do, kids generally won't udnerstand this concept much until they are older. But you can start small.
Say if he gets a toy from a relative and doesn't say thank you, point out how nice it would make someone feel if he thanked the person, how happy it would make them. And later that week when ever he gives you something, even an empty cup that he picked up, say thank you, they learn from you. It really does start in the most simple of things. It just takes time.
At some point they know the difference between upset and happy, which is a good way to start it out. If they say something that would make someone sad point it out, and give them a way to say it nicer, they'd begin to get the idea of being nice over being mean. The same goes with toys, if they play rough with something, take it away and tell them if they keep doing it, it will break and they wouldn't have it anymore, hopefully the next time they get to play with it they would play better.
That's how it starts, you can't expect a kid to appreciate what adults do, as in, having a job that can pay bills, or having a car that runs when you need it too, having family to relie on , having a comfy bed, roof, so on , you get the idea. Start small, start pointing things out over time they'd get the idea of being able to do things over not, having things over not having them. Being nice over being rude. Don't expect them to think like you. But it does start with you, your who they look up too, if you do somethign rude, or negitive they will think it's ok, if you dont' say thank you, or treat something , someone nice they'd see that.

Hope something helped , it was a pretty general question so not sure if you were aiming at appreciating at one thing or just all over.

Good luck!

Answer 5

make theim work for what they have,age approate of corse.when their little pull up a chair next to the sink after dinner and have theim help you wash dishes ,after their a little older make theim responcable to take out the trash,children as little as 2 yrs old can help pick up their rooms and put toys away.As a child becomes older say 10 yrs old pay him a few dollers to cut grass or rake leaves ect by age 13 or 14 they can baby sit or have paper rought ect.When they earn the money to buy the things they want they appreshate what it takes to provide those things thus appreshion is instaled into your child,its a process over time.

Answer 6

Give them all that they need and only some of what they want. Be a good example. Show apprecialtion for Aunt Sally's hand-knitted lopsided sweater. If your children hear you make negative comments about gifts they will learn to be less appreciative of the ones that they receive.

Answer 7

Different ways for different ages.

My daughter thinks that I will pay for her college (now 18)... no question in her mind. Oh, I will, I will pay off her loans once she graduates. Statistics show the first year and possibly 2 of college is the party, then we get to the studies. If she passes, I pay... if she duffs it, she pays. A form of appreciation.

Answer 8

Take the item away for a week,and then they will appreciate getting whatever,back and you'll know the answer.

Answer 9

Be an example, let them see how you respond to the little things in life, and let them see how much you appreciate things. Be polite,respectful and polite. They learn from us and what we do and say.

Answer 10

It's best said in a song

"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got till it's gone"

Remove the things and they will be appreciated more.