Children must be instructed to call the grandparents right away whenever they receive a gift. If they comply right away, they should be praised immediately. In general, the positive approach works best in teaching kids anything. However, if the child refused to call, different strategies must be employed. The parents can explain the importance and meaning of gratitude and they can provide good examples by always thanking their kids for what the youngsters do, but they must also be prepared to use discipline if necessary, to ensure that a child follows through with the appropriate behavior. This is no different that teaching a child that he should speak respectfully to a teacher or babysitter or teaching him any other appropriate behavior. Failure to cooperate can result in a mild form of negative consequences (see "Raise Your Kids without Raising Your Voice" for a detailed list of options for negative consequences). After the child has received a consequence, he can be invited again to make the call to Grandma. Hopefully, he will have reconsidered his position! When the child does finally comply, his efforts should be acknowledged ("Wow, you thanked Grandma so nicely. You really made her feel good. That was so thoughtful of you!"). Praise and positive labels help the child to feel good about his show of gratitude and make it easier for him to want to do it more often. The goal is to get the child to make the call, so that he can receive the positive feedback and encouragement he needs to continue showing gratitude in the future.