IN FRATERNAM MEAM: HOW TO SAY THANK YOUS!!!

IN FRATERNAM MEAM

Thursday, January 04, 2007

HOW TO SAY THANK YOUS!!!

FAMILY THANK YOUS
Family relationships are some of the most complicated and yet profoundly important ones in our live. Expressing thanks can open new doors, ease family tensions, or simply brighten the day of the family member who has especially touched our lives. So many times we are more inclined to thank the stranger on the street that our own family -- but, we must remember that gratitude regularly expressed and accepted can change the entire dynamic of a family, and it must start somewhere. Why not with you?

- Your Child -

1. Verbal affirmation.
For young children, hearing that they have done a good thing will make them feel appreciated and also make them more inclined to repeat that good deed in the future. While there are many ways to say thanks, sometimes the best method is still the old fashioned verbal Thank You!

2. Hold a fmily night.
If a child has done something particularly special, hold a family night in their honor. Allow them to pick their favorite meal and a game or movie for after dinner. Expressing gratitude by making the child the center of family attention will boast their feelings of self-worth and serve as encouragement for all members of the family to imitate the good works of the one being honored.

3. Give more freedom.
Sometimes a child has been so well behaved and respectful of the rules you have set up that you may want to express thanks by allowing a rule to be relaxed or an exception made. If you know there is something your son, or daughter has been wanting to do but has not done because it would break your rules, consider finding a compromise or guidelines that will be within the guidelines of what your family consoders acceptable and also give them something they want.

4. Do their chores.
Just like adults, children love a day off of work. If your child has been doing a great job helping around the house, or has done all their chores for a given time, then consider thanking them by surprising them with a day or even a week off from the chore you know they dislike the most.

- YOUR SIBLINGS -

5. A night out.
Everyone needs a break from the rputine and a nice evening out sometime. Thank particularly overworked or low-on-money siblings by sending them a gift card to their favorite restaurant or nightspot.

6. Public affirmation.
Offer up a verbal thank you in front of the family at the next gathering. Something as simple as offering a toast at dinner in their honor can mean a lot to a sibling who feels overlooked or underappreciated by the family.

7. Return the favor.
Sometimes the best way to express thanks is to offer to return the favor that someone has done for you, and then actually do so when the opportunity arises. The need you have this month may be the need you can fill in your sibling's life down the road.

- YOUR EXTENDED FAMILY -

8. Send a family photo.
To personalize a thank you note to extended family members, include an old family photo or a recent photo of the xtended family with your family. Write on theback of the photo a reason why it is meaningful or what memory it beliongs to mind. This not only allows the family member to know you are thankful but also makes them feel more personally included in your life.

9. Always send acknowledgement.
Always acknowledge gifts or acts of kidness that you have received from extende family members. Many family disputes can be traced bak to hurt feelings stemming from a lack of response to a gift or kind act.

10.Donation.
If you want to express gratitude in an uncoventional way, consider donating to your relative's favourite charity in their honor. You will not only be sending your thanks but also helping others at the same time. Just find out what cause(s) they support, and request that your relative received a note letting them know a donation was made in their honor as an act of gratitude and lvoe.

- YOUR PARENTS -

11. Memory book.
Say thank you for the life your parents have provided you by creating a family memory book in their honor. Gather family photos, pictures from vacations and other family memories, and put them all together as a wonderful walk down memory lane. Find many great memory-book accents and ideas.

12. Weekend away.
Consider how many family vacations, trips, or other fun activities your parents provided for you over the years. If finances allow, thank them by providing them with a weekend to get away from it all at their favorite vacation spot.

13. Time.
In may cases, there is nothing you can do that will thank parents better than offeing to spenmd your time with them.

(Source: 101 WAYS TO SAY THANK YOU by: Bonnie Ceban)

posted by infraternam meam @ 10:22 PM

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