It is safe to assume your children opened many gifts over the holidays, right? As parents we want our childrent to take good care of their toys to show there appreciation like playing gently or putting them away when they are done etc… There is one more thing they can do to show how grateful they are, THANK YOU NOTES! No, thank you cards are not archaic nor are they suppose to be feel like a punishment.
Jax Moms Blog understands that getting children to write a lengthy thank you card can be a difficult task for a young writer and/or a test of patience for a parent. In fact, some may be tempted just to write the note themselves but never fear JMB is here! We created a few, simple fill-in-the-blank templates for you child to complete (click the link or image to download).
This easy format is beneficial for several reasons.
1. QUICK– Neither your child nor you will feel frustrated or tired because they are only writing a few words and signing their name. If keeping their attention is an issue, just complete one or two a day instead of making it into a marathon writing activity.
2. LEARNING EXPERIENCE– Take this opportunity to work with your child on their writing and reading skills. Read the sentences to the child and ask them to supply the adjectives and reasons why they like this toy or have them read to you if they can. Give them a chance to sound things out, experiment with spelling and brainstorm different word choices to find the one they like the best. An added bonus of activities like this is you will have a better idea of your child’s strengths and weaknesses in the classroom.
3. ATTITUDE OF GRATTITUDE– Kids need to learn at a young age why and how to be thankful, especially for gifts. Writing thank you cards gives you the opportunity to explain to your child that receiving a gift is more about a person than an occassion. Tell them this gift-giver cares about them and thinks they are special. This person took the extra time and effort to pick out a present so it is equally important to show appreciation of it. With a little note, you can teach your children to care about others and to be grateful for a person as well as the gift and not to just expect things on a special occassion.
4. CROWD PLEASER- Though almost a novelty now, it is fun to receive a handwritten card. Relatives, especially those grandparents, LOVE anything that a child makes themselves. This thoughtful card will automatically turn into a keepsake. I suggest making a copy of the note before you mail it because you’ll want to remember how messy their little handwriting was, how they misspelled words in the cutest way etc…
5. BONDING TIME– I’m betting many moms like me resolved to spend more quality time with their children. Sitting down and writing with your kids perfectly fits the bill. You are helping your child, observing what they can do and hopefully having fun. Get out the crayons and stickers and decorate these cards and envelopes too. Be creative and enjoy the time spent together.
Both our generation and our children’s get a lot of slack for acting “entitled” and “lazy” for all the things just given to us or expected to be given to us in this modern world. Handwriting a simple thank you note is a the perfect way to silence those nay-sayers. With these simple printables, your child won’t only sound grateful for the gifts they received, they will feel grateful. And hopefully be proud of their work too!
