High Maintenance Mom

I am a huge fan of good manners. I am not talking militant manners but the basic good manners many kids and even adults lack. My 4 year old loves to write so with the Make Your Own Thank You Notes she got for her birthday we have been writing thank you notes for some time now. My 2 year old son likes to add his drawings. Here is how I engage my kids in writing thank you cards...

1. Talk about the gift they were given and how nice it was to receive it. Talk about what they like about the gift.

2. Suggest making a thank you card together and that thank you notes make people feel good.

3. Gather materials to make the card (card making kit or simple paper and markers with stickers, etc). The card does not have to be fancy although young kids can easily make it fancy on their own.

4. I always take pictures of my kids with the gift they received and mail it with the card (or email it if you cant wait for the picture)....this is always a hit on both ends.

5. Kids as young as 3 years old can write their name (my daughter still needs help with her "s") on their own and then you can help them spell out the words they want to say.

6. Show them how to write the mailing address & return address and let them add the stamp.

7. My daughter likes to hand the letter to our mail carrier when we see him and that helps her complete the process of sending a letter.

8. Have fun! My daughter sends mail like it is going out of style (wait, I think it is) and we often mail up to 3 letters a week! The Grandparents love it and so do the Aunts & Uncles (particularly ones with older kids).