Thank You Cards for Kids

I live in a part of the United States where thank you cards are usually considered optional - especially when dealing with close friends or family. But whether you live in a laid back area like mine or an area where family would be offended if no thank you note was sent, there are many benefits to having children send out thank you notes. Perhaps the most important benefits are that it helps kids to think about someone else's feelings while developing a habit of thankfulness. 

 For example, your son may not really care for the gift Aunt Minnie sent him for Christmas, but by sending her a thank you note, he's thinking of his aunt's feelings above his own. There are three basic ways for kids to send thank you notes:  

* Traditional, store bought cards sent snail mail. These take a little time and money to put together - which is why they are widely considered the best choice.

 

 * Home made cards fashioned from cardstock and sent via smail mail. You can either buy blank note cards and envelopes or use cardstock cut to fit into ordinary envelopes. This method allows kids to spend some time decorating the card, which makes it more of a keepsake. It may also offer kids more time to reflect on the person they are sending the card to.  

* Emails or electronic cards. I really think these are acceptable only if there's no time or money for one of the first two options. An email thank you is, however, better than no written thank you at all.  

If your kids have never written thank you notes, they'll need a little guidance from you. Ask them to remember all the things the person gave them, if more than one gift was given. Then ask them to find at least one thing to compliment about at least two of the items. Next, they simply need to say thank you. And if the child can offer a comment about how she has used or will use the item, all the better. A good example:

"I really enjoyed seeing you at Christmas, Aunt Minnie. You always make me laugh. Thank you, too, for the hand knit scarf. I know you put a lot of time and love into it, and that makes it special. I plan to wear the scarf when we go sledding this weekend. Love you! Joe."
Whenever possible, have the child write the note in their best handwriting. This means he or she may need to write a draft of the note on ordinary paper, then copy it to the notecard. If the child is too little to write all the note himself, write most of it for the child, then have the child sign the note and perhaps add something like "I love you." Let your child stuff the note in the envelope and, if her handwriting is good, address it. Allow your child to put on the stamp and drop it in the mail box, too. This keeps his or her involvement high, which makes the whole process more meaningful for the child.

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