Why We Added a Gratitude Journal to Our Daily Rhythm—And How It Changed Our Homeschool

How one small 5-minute practice became an anchor point to our days and mindset.

I still remember the August morning when our kitchen table felt more like a complaint department than the joyful launchpad I wanted for our homeschool day. Between grumbles over math lessons and sighs about not getting the snack they really wanted, we needed a mindset change.

Later that day, I came across an old half‑used notebook and idea was sparked— What if this became our family’s gratitude journal? The next morning at our usual 10 a.m. morning basket and snack time, I invited the kids to think of one thing—just one—they were grateful for. What had brought them joy recently? Who are they thankful for and why? The responses I got, while childish and playful in nature, created an automatic shift in their tone and opened the gates that would lead to the regular practice of gratitude in our home.

Ten months since that day, we’re still going strong. Our gratitude notebook is filled with simple pleasures and meaningful blessings that make my heart swell to think about how this very small practice began to change their mindset and teach them how to cultivate gratitude.

What Daily Gratitude Has Grown in My Kids

1. Glimpses of Everyday Gifts- From the smell of blueberry baked oatmeal to the sighting of our favorite backyard cardinal (named Rojo), they’re able to spot goodness all around them.

2. Emotional Vocabulary- Naming what they appreciate has stretched their language beyond “good” and “fun”. Their responses go farther than surface level observations as they reflect on what has truly brought them joy.

3. Resilience on Hard Days- While the hard days are still present, gratitude has become the counter‑weight whenever a lesson (or a mood) feels heavy.

4. Connection to Others- My kids often list people they’re grateful for, like the neighbor who shares his toys, the sibling who invited him into her fort, or the Grandma who nurtures and snuggles.

5. Empathy & Selflessness- Sometimes what they’re grateful for is purely materialistic (like a new book or pen), but other times they share about others as if they can step into their shoes and relate to their life circumstances (like our elderly neighbor arriving home from the hospital recently).

A Simple How‑To for Busy Moms

• Keep Supplies Minimal– One shared notebook (it doesn’t have to be anything fancy) + a pen. Keep it in the same spot each day.

• Tie It to an Existing Habit– Our journal is kept in our morning basket, right next to devotionals and poetry books. At the end of this morning basket time, we always finish with gratitude and prayer. You could also start or end the day with it and keep it in a handy spot to make the habit effortless.

• Keep Prompts Simple- Sometimes my kids need a little prompting past the go-to response of “I’m grateful for this nice day”. Encouraging them to think of what or who brought them joy is a small but meaningful way to promote deeper thinking.

• Model Gratitude– If I want my kids to have hearts and attitudes overflowing with gratitude, I need to model this posture too. I join in on the gratitude list and share what I’m finding joy in that day.

• Celebrate Milestones– Every few months, we reread random pages. The kids hear their own words and remember how much they appreciated those moments.

Some Personal Favorites From Our Gratitude Journal

Keeping this journal has been more than just a new daily habit that cultivates gratitude. It’s provided us with something that we can look back on and see how we’ve found joy in even the harder days of life. I’ll forever cherish these sweet reminders of my children’s observations of the world and how they chose to let thankfulness outweigh frustrations.

Here are a few entries from my kids (ages 2-9), some a bit more profound than others…

• My Sunday School teacher, he’s very kind

• The good gifts God has given us, like being a big brother

• Old people like Miss Oley (our 99-year-old neighbor) and Great-Grandma

• Our trampoline to play with siblings and neighbors

• The chance to join Girls on the Run

• That God made us

• A warm house on a cold, snowy day

• Going to the grocery store with Mommy and helping her shop

• That my sister shares with me

• That I can tell my neighbor about Jesus

• Good stories to read

• That Daddy is home from his trip

• How God died on the cross to give us his hope

• Jobs that people can do to earn money

• Making a new friend at co-op

• A new coloring book

• Fruity Pebbles

• Going to Grandma’s house each week

• The red cardinal (named Rojo) who eats from our bird feeder every day

Final Thoughts

Choosing gratitude each morning is our quiet rebellion against hurry, comparison, and negativity. It’s a five‑minute habit that tells my children: Life is filled with so many blessings if we just slow down and focus on the goodness. If you’re longing for a simple but powerful reset in your daily rhythm with kids, consider starting a simple gratitude journal— all you have to do is open a blank notebook. And in time, I bet you’ll notice the atmosphere of your home and the posture of your family’s heart begin to shift for the better.

If you start a gratitude journal with your kids, I’d love to cheer you on. Feel free to send me a message or drop a comment below!