Teens are selfish by nature. Their brains haven’t yet fully developed, which means that it will take them time to grow into the caring individuals they have the potential to become. We can help them become the best possible versions of themselves by teaching proper values from a young age. One of those values is realizing the importance of gratitude. What better time of year to do that than the Thanksgiving holiday?

1. Start Young

If you start teaching your children about gratitude and kindness when they are young, it will stay with them. However, that doesn’t mean it’s too late to get started now. If your kids are already teens, you can still help them learn these values by creating new Thanksgiving traditions to enjoy together. If you’ve never gone around the table to say what you’re thankful for prior to enjoying the holiday dinner, why not start this year? Your kids will probably roll their eyes and get annoyed, but deep down, they will enjoy recognizing all of the wonderful things in their world.

2. Try Not to Compare

Growing up, your parents probably told you that it was important to appreciate and finish your dinner because there were children starving in other countries. While this is true, it just doesn’t make an impact on most kids, especially teenagers. If it does make an impact, it will probably make your teens feel guilty about what they have. You want to cultivate gratitude, and your teen can’t do that if he or she is thinking about how everyone else is suffering. Instead, try talking to your kids about how people can feel grateful no matter what their circumstances. Kids in poor countries might not have all the latest toys and gadgets, but they still feel grateful over the things they do have. It’s all relative, and appreciation is always a good thing.

3. Be a Good Influence

Thanksgiving is a very special holiday, but it won’t do anyone any good to be thankful one day a year. You are your teen’s greatest role model, and if you practice an attitude of gratitude all year long, it will have a strong effect on your teen, even if it doesn’t seem like it.

It’s good to point out the things you’re grateful for, such as having food in the fridge or a nice home, but if you really want to get your teen’s attention, try thanking him or her every time they do something to make you proud. Even showing appreciation for the little things, such as cleaning the bathroom, can do a lot to make teens feel good about themselves.