This Thanksgiving I Am Thankful For a Full Bucket

The NY Times bestseller, How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids, is a book that takes us through the day of a boy named Felix and the discovery of his invisible bucket. 

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Give Thanks and Be Kind A CanCan Mom Thanksgiving Story

How Full is Your Bucket?

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for a full bucket.

Surprised?

Let me explain.

At my youngest’s School Open House, I learned that first graders were introduced to a very special, thought-provoking book called How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids, written by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer, is a delightfully illustrated story. However, it is not your ordinary childhood read; it’s something much more.

Here is my Book Report/Review:

Based on The NY Times bestseller, How Full is Your Bucket? Written by Tom Rath, the book takes us through the day of a young boy named Felix and the discovery of his invisible bucket. 

The story opens with Felix enjoying building a huge tower with his blocks, only to be interrupted by his little sister, who wants to join in on the fun.

Felix wants no part of it. In fact, he wasn’t very nice about letting her know she was much too little to help with his awesome tower, causing the two to squabble. Eventually, that huge tower gets knocked over, leaving both siblings distressed and upset.

Felix’s grandfather then talks to him. Using the metaphor of a bucket and dipper, Grandfather explains to Felix that we all have an invisible bucket. When our bucket is empty, we feel bad, but when it’s full, we feel great—and how Felix himself is affecting others, including his sister, whether he means to or not. 

Using “drips” and “drops” to explain negative and positive interactions, his grandfather shares why happy people make Felix feel good while the others leave him feeling bad. He urges Felix to notice how full his own bucket is throughout the day.

Felix then interacts with his sister, Anna, his grandfather, and other family members and friends. Some people are happy, but others are sad or mean.

Felix learns when his own bucket is full, he can help fill another’s and another’s, which ultimately helps to keep his own bucket full—an uplifting life lesson!

A Full Bucket Centerpiece

This Thanksgiving and the dinner feast, my table will have a centerpiece, including a big bucket holding eight copies of this remarkable book—one for each of my children.

After we say Grace, I’ll let my six-year-old daughter read portions of the story aloud in hopes that we will not only fill our plates with turkey and mashed potatoes but, going forward, also fill one another’s buckets while filling our own. This charming book reveals to children (and reminds adults) how being kind not only helps others but also helps them.

Then, each person around the table can share a moment when the person to their right helped fill their bucket during that day, week, or year.

Gratitude and thanks help fill our buckets, too.

How do you and your kids fill your buckets? What Thanksgiving traditions do you celebrate? For all kinds of mom-centered creative ideas, visit me on Instagram at CanCanMomCB or on Pinterest at theCanCanMom. If you have questions or suggestions, email me at cheryl@cancanmom.com or leave a comment in the box below.