Moms, dads, brothers, sisters: These are the people the students at the Children’s House are the most thankful to have in their lives.

It’s a sentiment many of us will share as we celebrate Thanksgiving with our families.

However, unlike many people, the students tell their peers what they are thankful for every day at lunch, rather than waiting for the fourth Thursday of November to reflect.

It’s a part of the Montessori school’s curriculum and helps the students practice focusing on the positive.

“It helps you be that much more centered and happy,” said Joanna Gaver, the school’s nutritional specialist, as she prepared lunch for about 35 people.

The Friday before Thanksgiving break, a few students helped set tables, before small groups gathered to enjoy their lunch of grilled cheese and tomato soup.

After one group settled in, their teacher and school director Stacy Zimmerman Ferrell asked the students, ranging in age from 3 to 6, to share their “thankful” of the day.

Gianna Sitter, 4, told the group she was thankful for “my mom and my dad and that I kiss them a lot.”

Many of her peers were also thankful for their parents, family and their lunch. “I’m thankful for my food, even my soup,” said Alex Orndorff, 5. With a youthful innocence about the workings of the solar system, he said he also was thankful that when the sun explodes we can all live on Mars.

Zimmerman Ferrell is used to hearing an interesting array of reasons to be thankful, some of them drawing from recent lessons. “They can be all over the place, but they are very sweet also,” she said.

In many cases, her students take the practice home with them, and ask their family members to say what they are thankful for during dinner as well.

As a part of the curriculum, the practice aligns with the school’s philosophy of modeling real life.

So at lunch, the teachers try to keep teaching basic skills, like pouring water and setting the table.

“Kids at this age are really interested in those things,” Ferrell said.

As they share what they are thankful for, they are also practicing listening, another skill that comes in handy around the holidays

“Listening is just as important as speaking,” she said.

mshinn@durangoherald.com