Introduction: What Drives a Child Who Thrives? / 3
Chapter 1: Orienting Your Family toward Gratitude / 15
Chapter 2: Raising Grateful Children from the Beginning / 35
Chapter 3: Growing Gratitude One Goal at a Time / 61
Chapter 4: Building Strengths and Resilience by Staying Positive and Learning to Cope / 87
Chapter 5: Valuing Others Develops Character and Gratitude / 113
Chapter 6: Dealing with Consumerism, Media, and Materialism / 141
Chapter 7: Nurturing Relationships / 163
Chapter 8: Developing Community, Connection, and a Sense of Purpose / 189
Chapter 9: How the World Could Be with Generation G /219
Acknowledgments / 231
Appendix: Measuring Gratitude in Youth / 239
Notes / 247
Index / 263
Jeffrey J. Froh, PsyD, is a school psychologist, associate
professor of psychology at Hofstra University, and the recipient of
a multiyear grant from The John Templeton Foundation to study
gratitude in children and adolescents. He is past associate editor
for The Journal of Positive Psychology and co-editor of Activities
for Teaching Positive Psychology: A Guide for Instructors. He has
authored over thirty scientific articles and book chapters on
gratitude, strengths, and well-being, among other topics. His
research has appeared in mainstream media such as the Wall Street
Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, Woman’s Day,
Family Circle, and Better Homes and Gardens. He lives with his
wife, Cara, and two children, James and Julianne, in Greenlawn, New
York.
Giacomo Bono, PhD, is a professor at California State University,
Dominguez Hills and, along with Froh, the recipient of a multiyear
grant from The John Templeton Foundation to study gratitude in
children and adolescents. He has a PhD in Social Psychology from
Claremont Graduate University and has extensive training and work
experience involving research in health, positive psychology, youth
development, and school and community programs for youth and
families. With approximately twenty articles and chapters
published, his research has appeared in U.S. News and World Report,
the Huffington Post, Health Magazine, and Youth Radio. He lives
with his wife, Kate, and two children, Dario and Alex, in La
Mirada, California.
“Of the key virtues that make for a successful life, gratitude is
one that is often overlooked in child-rearing and education today.
In Making Grateful Kids, Jeffrey Froh and Giacomo Bono have given
us the most valuable kind of guide to child development: one that
is full of compelling examples and backed up by state-of-the-art
research findings. Parents, educators, students, and practitioners
will benefit greatly from this book.” — William Damon, professor of
education, Stanford University, director, Stanford Center on
Adolescence, and author of The Path to Purpose: Helping Our
Children Find Their Calling in Life “In their thoughtful,
engaging, and informative book, Froh and Bono contribute mightily
to science and to families around the world. Making Grateful
Kids explains the significance of the burgeoning scientific study
of character development among youth, provides parents with
evidence-based ideas for enhancing an essential facet of thriving
among adolescents, and offers practitioners and policy makers a
positive, hopeful vision for promoting positive development among
present and future generations of young people. All readers will be
grateful for this timely and important book. — Richard M. Lerner,
PhD, Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science, director,
Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development, Tufts
University, and author of The Good Teen: Rescuing Adolescence from
the Myths of the Storm and Stress Years
“This book provides scientifically-based answers to the question
that every parent asks: How can I get my kids to be more grateful?
Froh and Bono, pioneers in the field of youth gratitude, point to
specific practices and principles that can be used by parents,
teachers, and kids alike. They make a compelling case for why, when
it comes to future generations, gratitude is the single best
investment we can make. My hope is that this book will help give
rise to “Generation G”—Young adults that recognize the transforming
power of gratitude.” — Robert A. Emmons, editor-in-chief, The
Journal of Positive Psychology, author of Gratitude Works! and
Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier
“Making Grateful Kids is the book that parents have been waiting
for. Chock-full of engaging examples and stories, reams of
supportive empirical evidence, and clear, easy-to-follow
recommendations for how to instill gratitude starting today, Froh
and Bono impart a really valuable message: Gratitude matters and it
matters most in kids.“ — Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, professor of
psychology at the University of California, Riverside and author of
The How of Happiness and The Myths of Happiness.
“Amid a generation of entitled young people, gratitude seems to be
a lost – but much missed – character quality. School psychologist
Jeffrey Froh and social science professor Giacomo Bono have
conducted dozens of psychological studies to identify the
components which help to build gratitude into children and young
adults… . This book would be especially useful in supplementing
studies on child and adolescent development (whether in psychology
or education), Christian education of children (youth and family
ministry), and family studies. Though it is not written from a
faith-based point of view, there are direct and scholarly
connections with Christian values and disciplines that provide easy
application for believers. Questionnaires, extensive notes, and a
strong index continue the scholarly approach to the topic. However,
the book is both readable and inspirational.” —Carol Reid,
Welch College, The Christian Librarian
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