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My family has always enjoyed hosting overnight company. Sometimes this meant one or more of our children gave up their beds for our guests. They always did it willingly, and were such good sports about it. But sometimes a guest would do something to show their appreciation to the child who gave up their bed. It meant the world to them and went above and beyond what we would ever expect a house guest to do. So here are a few suggestions for how to show a child your appreciation.
- Leave a thank-you note on their pillow the day you leave.
- Give them a small gift card to their favorite fast food restaurant, store, or iTunes.
- Spread a fleecy throw on their bed to surprise them.
- Leave a small stuffed animal on their bed.
- Treat the child to ice cream or lunch during your visit.
- Take the child to the local dollar store to let him pick out something he wants.
- Choose a Bible verse that expresses your gratitude or a blessing for the child and add your own words of thanks. Share it with them verbally or write it down and put it where they’ll find it after you leave. Philippians 1:3-6 and 1 Corinthians 1:4-8 are good choices.
Sometimes adults expect kids to just do what they’re told, like give up their beds for guests. But when appreciation is expressed, especially by the one to whom the kindness was shown, it tells the child that what they did mattered and made a difference to someone else. That’s huge. It’s what makes them want to keep doing the right thing. So when you’re a house guest and you get a chance to show appreciation to a child, don’t let the opportunity pass you by.
Have you ever had a someone express appreciation to your child? How did it make them feel? How did they go about it?
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