A one-year-old initially whined and started complaining about the food being served to her, but after praying for their meal, she gladly received it. Her mom commented, “Gratitude changes attitude.”
One-Year-Old Prays
Madeline Roberts has been teaching her toddler to pray before meals. After serving the food, they take time to pray and thank God for the blessing.
And Taya, her one-year-old daughter, is learning quickly. According to Madeline, “It has helped her [Taya] to learn self-control, delayed gratification, and of course, gratitude.”
One of the attributes, gratitude, was evident one morning during their breakfast.
“Something profound happened during our breakfast prayer,” Madeline shared. “At first, she [Taya] complained about what I was serving her. But I quickly redirected her towards prayer/gratitude.”
Gratitude Changes Attitude
She continued, “And her attitude totally reset. Gratitude changes an attitude.”
The special moment reminded Madeline of an excerpt from a book she had read. It said, “every time the little boy cries or whines, Maria takes him over to a window to show him the beautiful bay. In doing so, she reminds the child of something wonderful in his life, something to feel grateful for, something bigger than himself. And this redirection soothes him every time.”
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Madeline explained that gratitude helps us see more than what meets the eye. “Isn’t it amazing how God designed our hearts this way? Once you allow gratitude in, it just takes over, and suddenly there’s no more room for all that other stuff. A great tool to remember for myself, and parenting!”
She ended her encouraging message with a verse from the Bible. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
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Header Image: The Roberts Family [@babeinabasket], Taya Roberts, Instagram, July 8, 2023 https://www.instagram.com/p/CuZgsl4NGfd/?img_index=1