Happy and Sad

Several months ago, our family started a tradition during dinner that we have been doing every night and plan to do into the future.  I had seen the idea in a movie I watched years and years ago (can't remember which one) and then saw the suggestion in an article I was reading more recently.  Everyone at the dinner table shares something that made them happy that day (or excited or some other positive emotion) and something that made them sad (or angry or scared or some other negative emotion).  I love the ritual of doing it every night, and I can see how much it has benefited E (our almost 4-year-old).  When we first began doing it, she would have the same happy night after night, such as, "W (her brother) got to come into school with me today" (even when she hadn't gone to school that day, and even though he always comes in with my husband to drop her off when she does go).  But over the course of a few weeks, she saw us modeling it and got better at being able to articulate what had made her happy and what had made her sad.

I love this activity because it's a great way to hear about everyone's day; it builds emotional awareness; even when you have had a bad day, it can help you reflect on something you enjoyed about the day; and it often emphasizes the little things that make  a difference.