For today’s 12 minute talk, I’m interviewing author Priscilla Morgan. She gives us exactly what we need to know to start a gratitude journal with kids, without making it a chore.  She teaches us how to find the emotional connection with gratitude to make it meaningful, as well as the power of what gratitude can do now and in the future.

Gratitude Journal for Kids by Priscilla Morgan is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

In this episode, we talk about…

[1:00] Priscilla’s background

Priscilla lives in Atlanta, GA, and she has been working in healthcare for around 15 years. She created a gratitude journal for kids because of how much gratitude helped her during a difficult time. She started watching a lot of personal development YouTube videos, and she realized that many successful people talked a lot about gratitude. It could be something simple, like writing down 5-10 things you are grateful for, but it makes a big difference. Priscilla thought that if someone had taught her about these gratitude practices from a young age, it would have saved her from a lot of emotional distress. It’s not instantaneous, and it takes practice, but it packs a big punch.

[2:45] Helping children navigate the journey of gratitude journaling

The book itself contains different exercises. It has affirmations, as well as a section where they can write what they are grateful for. It also has activities. Gratitude practices allow time for reflection and relationship building with your supreme being. Your supreme being is where everything comes from.

When giving gratitude, Priscilla recommends thinking about the past and seeing specific events or occurrences that evoked gratitude. When you actually do the journaling and go back and reflect, you can see all the things you are grateful for and you can kind of re-experience those wonderful moments.

Priscilla also included a manifestation column in the book, so you can write down things that you want and give thanks for them in advance. In 2019, for example, she was writing about the house she wanted and giving thanks for it. Now she can look back at that and say, wow, this thing really happened. That is the power of gratitude.

As far as helping kids to use the journal, parental guidance may be required for several weeks or months before they become independent with it. Priscilla’s book asks questions about children’s goals, and provides affirmations to boost their confidence. Then they can write about what they are grateful for. You could start with just one thing, and eventually build up to more. In another section, they can look back and reflect on the best experience(s) of the month. It’s also important to think about the worst experience, because we learn from those as well. Reflection allows us to consider the good that we can take out of that experience and how we can improve.

[9:18]  Gratitude for future events

I love that Priscilla’s book includes not just gratitude for things that have happened, but also for things that could happen or that we want to have happen. She calls this manifestation, and I think this idea of giving thanks in advance for what you want in your life is so powerful.

[9:54] The power of writing

At dinner time with my family, we will sit down and say what we’re grateful for. It’s kind of a fun moment, but I think when you write it down it becomes more real and more valuable. Priscilla shares that in order to be really grateful, you have to be deeply emotional with it. Writing allows those emotions to flow.

[11:23] How Priscilla encourages journaling with her own daughters

Priscilla’s daughters are 8 and 11, and at this point they are independent with their gratitude journals. They will occasionally do affirmations as well, and Priscilla notices that it really uplifts their moods. Priscilla also does vision boards with her girls, so they can set their goals and keep each other accountable.

As the season of Thanksgiving is upon us, I think it is the perfect time to think about and gain that deeper emotional connection with gratitude. Please check out Priscilla’s gratitude journal on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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