INDIANA – The holidays are here! Thanksgiving and Black Friday are over, and as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa draw near, many of us are focused on traditions – eating our favorite holiday meals, celebrating with family, and shopping for special gifts. As we enjoy these holiday traditions, it’s also a great time to give thanks and model an “attitude of gratitude” for the children in our midst.

Children are not born grateful. According to author Mary Jane Ryan, “ Recognizing that someone has gone out of their way for you is not a natural behavior for children – it’s learned.” If you have spent much time around toddlers, you know they are self-centered by nature, which is a regular part of their cognitive and emotional growth. Studies have shown, however, that children as young as 1

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