Grateful Mom

Having grateful kids starts with my own heart.

By Leslie Dallas Updates Oct 30, 2026

“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.”  – 1 Timothy 6:6-7, ESV.

I want to raise grateful kids, but sometimes I’m expecting something from them that I’m not modeling myself.  So often, a glance at my phone turns into 20 minutes of scrolling, leaving my heart heavy with discontent. I wish my home looked like that. Her family photos are so perfect. How does she do it all so effortlessly? That scrolling didn’t just steal 20 minutes; it stole my contentment, peace, and gratitude. From behind our screens, we quietly compare our homes, families, experiences, looks, talents, or achievements. I know I should spend less time on my phone, but the truth is, the phone didn’t cause my discontent — it revealed what’s already in my heart.

The “I’ll Be Content When …” Myth 

Discontentment keeps our focus on what we want instead of what we have. A lie we tell ourselves is, “I’ll be content when…”  Think of all the “I’ll be content when’s” you may have believed: When I get married… when I have a child… when I have a second child… when I have a fulfilling career… …when we can finish the home improvements…when we can afford a bigger house… when we can take the vacation… Do you see how easy it is to miss gratitude for what we have because we’re wishing for what’s next? It’s certainly not wrong to dream! The problem is believing we can’t be content until we get these things. Contentment becomes this elusive thing that we’re always chasing but never catching. Without noticing, we can let life pass us by and miss what God has for us in this moment as we chase some form of “enough.” It becomes a never-ending, joyless cycle because “enough” is a moving target, just out of reach.

Sometimes it isn’t even the big things that we think we need. We can measure our contentment in moment-by-moment circumstances: When my house is clean and decluttered… when the kids are behaving… when no one spills, fights, or has a bad attitude… when I’m caught up on laundry and dishes… when every box is checked off my to-do list…  Expecting every day to go according to plan is a recipe for dissatisfaction. If we look to things, people, and circumstances for contentment, it will always be out of reach. New things become old, vacations end, houses need updating (again), our families will never be perfect, and neither will we.

I’m convinced the antidote to this endless chasing is gratitude. But how do we become grateful people? And how do we instill gratitude in our children? 

It Starts With My Heart  

Gratitude can transform our hearts and our homes by infusing our lives with joy and peace.  But the first step toward a grateful home starts with our own hearts. We all want to raise grateful children, but how can we impart what we don’t have? When we are grateful, it not only transforms us but also creates a ripple effect in our home’s atmosphere. Here are some ways to practice gratitude personally: 

• Pray. Gratitude doesn’t come naturally for most of us. But prayer is a powerful weapon in our fight for it. Ask God to make you a grateful person. We’re called to give thanks in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18), and if God commanded it, He will help us achieve it!  

• Keep a thankful journal. In our early church-planting season, we didn’t have much. Our house was outdated, and we couldn’t afford extras. I started a thankful journal to combat discontentment. These were some things I’d thanked God for: 

Gummy baby smiles; a husband who loves Jesus and us so well; a roof over our heads; our needs are met; our health; sunlight streaming through the window; getting to spend the day with my sweet kiddos; the beautiful fall weather; the freedom to open God’s word; coffee…

In a season where it was easy to compare and complain, this simple act of writing down blessings completely transformed my perspective. 

• Limit things that evoke discontent. Pay attention to how you feel after watching home renovation shows or scrolling on social media. If you find that you’re left feeling discontent, envious, or frustrated, consider limiting those things, or cutting them altogether. Focus on the joys in your real life. 

• Shift your thinking from “I wish…” to “I’m thankful for…” When discontented thoughts creep in, replace “I wish…” with “I’m thankful for…” For example, if you find yourself thinking, “I wish we could afford to renovate,” shift your thinking to, “I’m thankful for a safe place to live.” This helps you move from frustration over what you don’t have to gratitude for what you do have.   

Health and Happiness of the Soul 

My friend, you can step away from the exhausting cycle of wanting and striving. Remember, it’s okay to plan and dream, but let’s not lose gratitude in the process. Gratitude can become one of the most powerful weapons in our arsenal. Consider this: 

“Thanksgiving is not merely a ‘nice’ Christian character trait. It is a sin-conquering force. Gratitude is both a vital indicator of our soul’s health and a powerful defender of our soul’s happiness. Which means we should intentionally cultivate the healthy, happy habit of thanksgiving.” (desiringgod.org)

Cultivating gratitude takes some effort, but the payoffs are huge. A few moments to write down daily blessings or redirect our discontented thoughts toward gratitude may take time to become habit. But the tradeoff is immeasurably worth it: endless discontentment for a happy, healthy soul. 

For further encouragement and practical ways to cultivate gratitude in our kids, check out this article: Grateful Kids.

for reflection:

Is there an area of your life where you’re struggling to be content? What is one thing you can do today to cultivate gratitude in your heart?

Prayer:

Lord, I want to be so full of gratitude that it changes the entire tone of my home. You have given me countless blessings. Thank you for ___________. I’m especially thankful for Jesus, who carried the weight of my sin and guilt on the cross. Make me a grateful woman as I teach my children to be grateful, too. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.