|
|
Getting Kids to Write Thank You Notes
By Elizabeth Pantley
Doing the things that demonstrate good manners isn't always easy or
fun. But having good manners will help your child have better
friendships, happier family relationships, and an easier time
adjusting to the nuances of our society. No child is born with good
manners. Manners are definitely something that need to be taught.
Over time, and with practice, your child will naturally begin to
repeat the things she has been taught from a young age.
One of the social graces that is often overlooked is writing of the
Thank You Note. It is so important that children learn from a young
age that it is appropriate to write a thank you note anytime they
receive a gift, or anytime they have been a guest at someone's home.
Children will learn what they are taught, and here are some ways to
begin the habit of writing thank you notes.
Get the motion going: Soon after your child receives a
gift, sit down with her and help her compose and write a thank you
note. Put the paper in front of her, hand her a pen or crayon and
suggest an opening line, "Let's write Grandma's thank you note.
Maybe you want to say . . . "
Take advantage of their computer skills: Have your
child compose thank-you notes on the computer. Most kids enjoy
working on the computer and are comfortable with it. Created with
care, a computer-generated note, with an added personal comment, is
an acceptable way for kids to show their appreciation.
Make it fun: Thank you notes don't have to be boring! A
child can be encouraged to get creative: a collage, a photo, a
drawing - there are many fun ways of getting the point across. What's
most important is that the giver feels acknowledged.
Thank You Note first/Play second! Create a new family
rule: You may only play with a gift after the thank you note has been
written. This will get the job done quicker than anything else!
|
|
|
Excerpted with permission by NTC/Contemporary Publishing Group Inc.
from Perfect Parenting, The Dictionary of 1,000 Parenting Tips by
Elizabeth Pantley, copyright 1999. |
|
About the Author |
|
Parenting educator, Elizabeth Pantley, is the president of Better
Beginnings, Inc., a family resource and education company.
She is a regular radio show guest and often quoted as a parenting
expert in magazines such as Parents, Parenting, Working Mother,
Woman's Day, Good Housekeeping and Redbook.
She publishes a newsletter, Parent Tips, that is distributed in
schools nationwide, and is the author of Kid Cooperation: How to Stop
Yelling, Nagging and Pleading and Get Kids to Cooperate
|
|
|
Printer
friendly version