Telegram - Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944

The utterance of two words can make the difference in a person’s day…..”Thank You”.

I always say Thank You. It’s a way of showing gratitude. For example, when I’m going through the serving line at church or at a buffet, I always say think you. That person with that spoon in their hand has given up their time with their family and put off eating to serve you. So why not say Thank You.

When my son played Coach Pitch baseball, his coach, Judge Marrow, would give each kid a piece of bubble gum (as long as their parents said it was ok) before each game. Each kid responded with Thank You. Was he training them for future behavior? I believe so. Those habits last forever.

When my grandkids and I stop for ice cream, they are saying ‘Thank You’ before they take the first lick of their cone. That makes me proud. Their mothers are training them the correct way.

How hard is it to teach your children to say thank you? I think it is very easy. What I have noticed is that children learn from what they see. If they see you or other adults saying “Thank You”, I’m sure they will begin to mimic that behavior.

Now it’s time to retrain those teenagers and young adults that were not taught to say ‘Thank You’. This is the perfect time to get it started. As family members leave for school or for work, remind them to say ‘Thank You’ to people throughout the day. It’s time to demand a new behavior. Thank You is the action phrase for the week. Suggest strongly that all of your family begin to say ‘Thank You’. It will rub off.

As I go through each day, I always pause to say Thank You to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and I pray that after this week there will be a paradigm shift with more people saying Thank You than not.

Give it a try. It might just rub off on your household.

Gina Wilson Steward

CEO