Sometimes, as parents it’s hard not to dread the evening routine. We’re exhausted and all we want is some alone time, sleep time, peace time. But then there’s the fight to brush little teeth, bathe dirty bodies and tuck tired heads in their beds.

It’s probably necessary for me to say I’m horrible at strict bedtime routines; my 3 year old sleeps in bed with us, and I lay with my daughter until she sleeps and then I sneak out. But one thing I did do, was when my oldest was still in her not-so-terrible-twos, I started a bedtime tradition. After we read bedtime stories I wanted to establish a norm that this would be our time to chat, to ask questions and right before she sleeps to start the habit of a gratitude journal of sorts. Every night when the light goes off I ask, what was the favorite part of your day?

It forces us to recall our day, to pick out the highlights, we even chat about the lows, but the focus is always on the highs! At the end we usually each pick our top 3 things that we loved about our day. Hands down my favorite one was when I prepared my daughter’s school desk and home-school area as we started virtual school this year. She said the favorite part of her day was that I made her desk so pretty and that I’m her superhero. All the feels!!

These kids say the sweetest things, and you’ll realize that the things they treasure most is the time spent with their family and friends, the experiences and attention always wins out over the toys and even the snacks.

It’s a great idea to also record some of the extra sweet ones, or even the mundane everyday ones, because these are the fleeting moments, the days we’ll look wistfully look back on. I’ll bet it’ll also be one of their most cherished childhood memories.

According to an article posted by NPR, some of the benefits of having a gratitude habit, be it daily reflection of a journal include:

• Reduces stress levels
• Helps you sleep better
• It may reduce the risk of heart disease
• Improves Interpersonal relationships
• Decreases the focus on material things
• Bolsters the spirit of generosity among adolescence
• Promotes healthier eating habits
• Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression

Let me know in the comments if this has prompted you to start your own habit of gratitude!