Catalyst

Informed Families Catalyst

Gratitude Journals for Families: Strengthening Bonds

Posted by Informed Families on November 26, 2023 at 9:27 AM


As we exit the Thanksgiving season, it's crucial to keep the spirit of thankfulness alive in our families, especially among our children. It's a vital time to remind them not to forget the blessings they have and to continuously recognize and appreciate the good in their lives. This ongoing practice of gratitude can profoundly impact their perspective and overall well-being, making every day a chance to see the world through a lens of thankfulness.

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Topics: holidays, family bonding, thanksgiving, family dinner

Helping Kids Develop an Attitude of Gratitude

Posted by Informed Families on November 12, 2021 at 5:00 AM

The first Thanksgiving was all about gratitude. So is the reason we celebrate it today. So one of the topics in this month’s Family Table Time activity kits focuses on the subject of gratitude.

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Topics: parenting, positive parenting, thanksgiving, healthy kids

President's Message - November 2018

Posted by Peggy B. Sapp, President & CEO on November 16, 2018 at 5:23 PM

THANKSGIVING OR EXCESS?

Thanksgiving used to be a time to gather with family and reflect on all of our blessings. We appreciated things, like a roof over our head, food on the table, clothes on our back and a country not at war.

Then, Thanksgiving became a time to eat and drink too much, drive ourselves crazy trying to please our guests or get along with our hosts and prepare for the shopper’s high we get from Black Friday

Families of origin aren’t always healthy or easy to spent time with! I saw a comic recently featuring a “Convention of Adult Children of Normal Parents.” There were three people attending. Ha! Many of us have at least one trauma from childhood and complicated relationships with a sibling or another family member. 

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Topics: President's Message, family bonding, children, gratitude, thanksgiving

President's Message - November 2016

Posted by Peggy B. Sapp, President & CEO on November 8, 2016 at 3:26 PM

Read This: Gratitude...improves your health and your quality of life!

It’s November - the perfect time to feel and express gratitude. Sometimes we are so busy grumbling about what didn’t go our way that we forget to be grateful for small things, nice weather, a smile or a cup of coffee.

Life is not perfect. Where did we get the idea that it was supposed to be perfect? The shiny magazines and media telling us to do more, be more, buy more? Have you noticed that even those who appear to "have it all" don’t have perfect lives? Life is messy. Be grateful for life’s imperfections. It makes it more interesting.

I am saddened that our country is so divided. Yet, I am grateful that we live in a democracy and have the freedom to choose.

I am overwhelmed by 24/365 technology. Yet, I am grateful to text with my grandkids and send a birthday gift certificate with the touch of a button.

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Topics: President's Message, children, gratitude, thanksgiving, parents

President's Message - November 2015

Posted by Peggy B. Sapp, President & CEO on November 23, 2015 at 11:10 AM

Giving Thanks & Giving Gifts Are Similar

Thanksgiving signifies a time of gratitude for all things. As we gather with our families for delicious dinners prepared with the best trimmings, we reflect deeply on what truly means the most to us and express gratitude for those things.

Giving thanks and giving gifts are similar...and they may be one and the same. They are the flow of love and gratitude. If you are not sharing love and gratitude, it is easy to become stagnant and stressed, which is not healthy.

This is the season when merchants really push us to say thanks and give gifts their way. I encourage you to consider a different way to say thank you and to give gifts — sit down and write someone a note and share your appreciation for what they have done in your life. It is not just a gift to the person receiving your note but it will be a gift to you because it will make you healthier and happier. Why? Because giving and receiving are part of the same spiritual energy. When and what you give will be returned to you many fold.

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Topics: President's Message, holidays, drug free, thanksgiving

About Us

We teach people how to say no to drugs and how to make healthy choices. To reduce the demand for drugs, Informed Families has focused its efforts on educating and mobilizing the community, parents and young people in order to change attitudes. In this way we counteract the pressures in society that condone and promote drug and alcohol use and abuse. The organization educates thousands of families annually about how to stay drug and alcohol free through networking and a variety of programs and services .

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