Thank You Notes - The Importance of Teaching Kids Gratitude
Writing thank you notes is a time-honored way of showing appreciation for gifts received. It is also a skill that every child should learn as a part of their upbringing. But how exactly should you start? Below are a few tips to get you started.
- Your child should at this point already be trained to say "Please" and "Thank you" and so the next step is to talk to them about how writing a thank you note is an even better way of saying "thank you" for gifts or services received.
- After you've spoken to your child, you should begin writing thank you notes with them whenever possible. Don't leave your child to do this by themselves; this will seem like a chore. Instead make it into a fun activity that you do together after birthdays, Christmas, or other occasions.
- Be the example. Don't expect your child to write thank you notes if you don't set an example by doing the same. When you receive a gift, be certain to show the gift to your child and then allow your child to watch you write your own thank you note.
- If your child cannot write yet, allow them to dictate a note to you in their own words. After you've done this, your child can add their own artwork so that the thank you note becomes their own.
- In order to encourage your child to write thank you notes even more, purchase special thank you note cards or stationery just for writing thank you notes. You can also dedicate a special pen just for thank you notes. This will continue to reinforce your child's understanding of thank you note writing being a special activity.
Early training in writing thank you notes will last a lifetime and you may even be surprised yourself one day by receiving a little thank you note from your child.