24 Dec Christmas Nudges
‘Tis the season to learn and love!
Nudge theory is about people being subtly guided, encouraged and nudged towards the right decision, rather than being told. Often given two choices, we are likely to select the wrong choice even if it is detrimental to ourselves.
With Christmas right around the corner, here are some nudges you can adapt. Parents and Teachers, this one’s for you.
The gift of volunteering –
Suggestion: Encourage your child to visit the nearest old-age home or children’s shelter and volunteer for a day.
How to implement: A group of friends can meet up a day before and make cards, prepare skits and Christmas carols for the old people/children at the shelter.
Nudge: Children often get excited to showcase their creativity and receive appreciation and this is a great way to do so! They learn the importance of finding happiness in the smallest of things.
Family comes first-
Suggestion: Visit a family member and surprise them with a handmade Christmas card. Personal messages go a long way!
How to implement: Encourage them to click a picture when they surprise their family member and that image can go up as an ornament on the Christmas tree that year.
Nudge: Decorating the tree is a child’s favourite Christmas activity and what better way than to adorn your tree than with memories of the holiday season. This activity is not only fun and exciting, but it also helps create a bond between your child and members of the family.
A gift that keeps giving-
Suggestion: Help them wrap old clothes, books and toys and donate them to the ones in need to spread the holiday cheer!
How to implement: Create a bin called a giving bin in the house/school. It is the bin that you can encourage the child to thoughtfully put things in that they are not using or would like to share. With this, additionally create a three way approach for everything. Especially for the allowance. One to spend, another part to save and third part to give back. All this as a family can be gathered for a trip every 6 months.
Nudge: This is a great way to track your kids’ spending and charitable donations, and teach them financial literacy. Sharing but a subtle way of introduction.
Inspire Kindness-
Suggestion: Share a kind word or two with a classmate or even a teacher. The gift of
appreciation is the perfect way to brighten someone’s day during the holiday season.
How to implement: Create a chart with various greetings and the person with whom
you shared your kind words with, can pick a greeting and the two can perform the
action.This goes on like a ripple effect and soon all students/family members take
part.
Nudge: Activity based learning is a great way to learn and inspire kindness in others.
Children tend to express themselves better when there is an activity involved.
I am grateful for…
Suggestion: Go around the dining table or classroom and talk about what you are grateful for this holiday season. Children learn to appreciate the small things in life when they acknowledge them.
How to implement: Create a gratitude jar where each family member/ student adds their chit that states what they’re grateful for. Each note can be randomly picked up and the rest can guess who’s gratitude it was.
Nudge: Games can be a great way to get children to express themselves and show gratitude towards people or things.
A slight nudge in the right direction goes a long way and Christmas is the best time to start.