Let me explain two appreciation categories — one is the gratitude type. You can be really appreciative, i.e., grateful, that someone helped you move from one apartment to another or they watched your child while you did some errands. A teen might appreciate that their sister took the blame for the messy kitchen even though they had a part in it.
The other category of appreciation is awe and amazement. You have a great appreciation, i.e., awe, for someone's ability to do something well. Awe could be related to something big such as someone who uses their organizational skills to pull off an event that feeds hundreds of at-risk youth. Or it could be something smaller, such as appreciating a friend’s ability to get people laughing with their clever storytelling.
Today, I’m focusing on this awe-form of appreciation and how we can foster it in our kids. I believe one key way to do this is to get them to try new things. I notice my sense of awe is much greater for something I have tried myself.
Below are some examples of the power of experience as an appreciation builder.
I am in jaw-dropping awe when I watch gymnasts. Starting at 8-years old until I was eleven, I did gymnastics at the YMCA. I loved doing things like back walkovers and one-handed cartwheels. At the same time, many things scared the Dickens out of me. For example, when we did the vault, more times than not, I peeled away to the bathroom to hide out for a while. Another thing that didn’t scare me but I could never master was a press to handstand.
Through my own experiences and struggles with gymnastics, I gained a deep appreciation for the sport. I wanted to build that same appreciation in my kids, so I signed them up for tumbling and gymnastic classes.
My kids’ decided to do gymnastics for a relatively short time, but I am convinced that it was plenty to boost a deeper appreciation of the sport. As kids they really enjoyed our family outings to go see gymnastic meets at the University of Washington. Backflip on a balance beam — amazing!
Think about appreciating art. Do you agree that part of why we find ourselves marveling at an intricate realistic painting is that we’ve tried painting as kids?
Or let’s take a beautifully frosted cake. It is when we have tried frosting cakes do we truly appreciate the skill involved. It takes immense skill and patience. I have never come close to anything a professional baker can do. The cake crumbs always get into the frosting, the amount of frosting is never evenly spread, and my strokes never look right.
I am certain that all my mishaps with frosting help explain why one of my favorite delights is oohing and awing at cakes whenever I see them — be it at my local grocery store or a bakery I pass.
Summertime is a wonderful time to help increase feelings of awe in our kids by providing them opportunities to try new things, even the littlest of things.
Questions to get the conversations started:
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
Let me explain two appreciation categories — one is the gratitude type. You can be really appreciative, i.e., grateful, that someone helped you move from one apartment to another or they watched your child while you did some errands. A teen might appreciate that their sister took the blame for the messy kitchen even though they had a part in it.
The other category of appreciation is awe and amazement. You have a great appreciation, i.e., awe, for someone's ability to do something well. Awe could be related to something big such as someone who uses their organizational skills to pull off an event that feeds hundreds of at-risk youth. Or it could be something smaller, such as appreciating a friend’s ability to get people laughing with their clever storytelling.
Today, I’m focusing on this awe-form of appreciation and how we can foster it in our kids. I believe one key way to do this is to get them to try new things. I notice my sense of awe is much greater for something I have tried myself.
Below are some examples of the power of experience as an appreciation builder.
I often talk about using tech (laptops, phones, etc.) as a tool, treat, or talking device. An effective way to model screen-time choices is to say out loud in front of your kids when you are using a device as a tool, treat, or talking device. As we enter summertime, I have been reflecting on the creation of family memories and that when we shake up things, we stack the cards in favor of lasting memories. Using tech in clever ways can help make memories. Today, I share some fun ideas for summer activities.
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Our unique Tech-Free Gift Guide offers a refreshing escape from digital overload, presenting a handpicked selection of imaginative gifts. From culinary adventures and creative arts to educational magazines and physical activities, we emphasize experiences that foster family bonding, creativity, and healthy habits. The guide includes community-building ideas like mural painting and beekeeping, encouraging children and teens to engage in enriching, screen-free activities while creating lasting memories and developing new skills.
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My team and I have been bustling behind the scenes, thinking up new episodes for the Screenagers Podcast and new posts for my weekly Tech Talk Tuesday Blog. Your input at this time would be FANTASTIC! What topics do you want covered? Do your kids have ideas for topics?
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
