Do Your Kids Hand Write Thank You Notes, Cards or Letters? Here's Why They Should! by Kirstin Ahearn

Parenting
6 years ago

Do Your Kids Hand Write Thank You Notes, Cards or Letters? Here's Why They Should!

Email, text and social media make up the bulk of today’s written communications. While this style of writing is based on traditional forms (meant for the reader’s benefit), it is the first time in our history when writing is used for the writer’s benefit (abbreviations, little punctuation, emojis). 

Encouraging your kids and teens to hand write letters brings them back to the original point of writing, helps them more cohesively express their thoughts and teaches them the value of simple acts of kindness. Here are a few ways to do that (and make use of all those note cards we bought from fundraisers over the years):

  • Insist they hand write thank you notes for any gifts received when they cannot thank the giver in person (basically any gift received through the mail). Sure, a phone call is nice, but a short, specific note is so much more special. Try it this Christmas!
  • Encourage them to write an actual letter (or post card) to a distant relative or friend or to someone in the military.
  • Have them write short notes of appreciation to their teacher, friend or mentor who went out of their way to help them. The return on this little effort will be surprising!

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Thank You Notes $9 & Up
Note Cards $3 & Up
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Ann Marie Patitucci
Yes, yes, yes! I love this, Kirstin Ahearn ! How sad that this is becoming a lost art!
Elisa Schmitz
Agreed, Ann Marie Gardinier Halstead . Everything is digital these days, even thank yous (though even that is hard to get kids to do, especially as they grow older). Thanks for the great post, Kirstin Ahearn !
Kirstin Ahearn
Let's keep it alive! Think of all those books we have based on letters written throughout history. Emails and texts just don't hold up as well...!

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