Now that the holidays are over and gifts have been given and received, its time to write the thank you notes. This task is nearly universally dreaded by kids, but is important not only because it’s good etiquette but it also teaches appreciation for others’ time and effort. Starting kids young will make thank you note writing a good habit that will be helpful their entire lives. So here are a few tips to making note writing easier, and even fun!
Make it a family affair – when all the kids and even the parents write their notes at the same time it seems less of a chore.
Kids of all ages can write thank you notes; very young children can dictate notes to a parent and draw a picture next to the note. Or draw around the child’s hand, and let them color it in.You could even save children’s artwork during the year and write a thank you note on the back. Fill-in-the-blank cards are good idea for children just learning to write.
Make it fun – turn thank you notes into art work using stickers, paint, and markers. Adding a photo is another way to make it enjoyable and personal.
Encourage thank you note writing by giving young kids a small reward for each note. A great motivator for getting the note done is making it a requirement before enjoying the gift; “You can’t play with the toy until the thank you note is written”.
Sending an email is another option, but only if the recipient spends a lot of time on the computer. Don’t send an email thank you note to someone who checks their email sporadically.
Be consistent – if writing a thank you note is enforced for all gifts with no exceptions, the task will become an automatic response, instead of a dreaded duty.
