Giving thanks as a first step

I was listening to christian radio when the preacher was preaching that giving thanks is a form of worship. Then it struck me that giving thanks can serve as an evangelistic tool as well, which in my case I use for my son. My son prays before he sleeps. It came to me that I can encourage him to give thanks, which he is doing now, but I think he has to be more specific. By giving thanks specifically, it does the following: 1) It instills in him a grateful heart. 2) It helps him to recognize his blessings the past day. It helps if he is specific. 3) It helps him to ponder what he had done the past day. It helps him to look inward and be more reflective. They say a child has short memory. Maybe this reason is more applicable if the child is older. 4) It helps him to not take things for granted. A child thinks concretely. If he is not able to give thanks for what he has in this life, how can he give thanks to Jesus for saving him and that he has to do it by faith? So, giving thanks for what he has now is a first step toward giving thanks to Jesus for what the child does not see physically. 1 Thessalonians 5 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. -kjv 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. -niv