Teach Your Children Well (The Art of Letter Writing)

BACK TO BASICS | by KAVITA VARMA-WHITE

KIDS STILL LEARN THEIR ABCS THESE DAYS, but the E ― as in etiquette ― is often an afterthought.

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Teaching the art of correspondence falls into this category, and it’s a skill that a child can hone at an early age, then reap the benefits for an entire lifetime.

Whether it’s a thank-you note or apology, and whether it’s written on stationery or a card, letters are a matter of courtesy. Parents need to set a precedent for kids that written courtesy is as important as any other form of courtesy. (Saying thank you in everyday situations is no different than expressing thanks in writing when receiving a gift.)

Here are some tips to get young letter-writers started:

Even beginning writers can pen a thank you note. Create a letter form on your computer with blank spaces for certain words.  “Dear _____. Thank you for the ______.  It was nice of you to come to my birthday party. Love ____.”  Have them illustrate by drawing a pic of the gift they received.

A pretty card can inspire a young writer. There’s lots of cute stationery available for kids. We love the selection of personalized cards from MyExpression.com and most are a very reasonable $10 for 10 cards. (Personalized stationary makes great gifts!)

Monkey say, monkey do. Write to your kids! On special occasions, such as birthdays, Valentine’s Day or report-card day, send a note in the mail so they experience the joy of receiving letters .

Encourage kids to think outside of the box. Send the coach a note of thanks for a great season.  A wonderful end-of-year teacher’s gift is a letter from a student, describing what they learned.  And grandparents, whether they live near or far, are always great pen pals.