Is have a child write a generic thank you, photo copy it, then just fill in teh names and signature?

Question

I am trying to teach my 6 y.o. that you need to write thank you's to show appreacation after recievng a gift. Is ok for me to write a simple thank you note, make copies then have him fill in the names ( ie, nana, auntie, etc) then sign his name at the bottom, so he doesn't get overwhelmed?

Thanks for the input so far! I am not trying to show him how to cheat his way through life by any means! He is still learning to write, and I don't want him to become discouraged. I found this idea at Hallmark, they have cards pre written and all the child does is fill in the blanks. Yeah I'm cheap trying to save a few bucks, but its still his writing. I think I will ask him how he wants to say thank you, then have him sign. Oh and its not even christmas yet and he has over 15 packages that have arrived, not counting those who will be in attendance. Thank you again for all of your help!

Answer 1

Six years old is tough, because most kids don't have the physical writing skills to write a lot of thank-you notes. But kudos to you for teaching your child the importance of expressing gratitude!

I don't think a generic thank-you note is worth the effort, or the postage. A child needs to at least state what the gift was. I've received thank-you notes that say "thank you for the gift", and frankly, even if it's in the child's writing, I consider it a waste of the child's time if they didn't even have to remember what gift was that they are expressing gratitude for...

The best thank you notes I got when my kids were 6 or younger, were notes that were dictated by the kids and written or typed by the parents. To me, it matters less that the child writes it himself, and more that the ideas expressed in the note were those of the child.

Another idea, which I've done with my kids. Each of my seven year olds has a font that is actually their own writing. It's really cool. You type out a document, and then instead of using Times Roman, you select the font that you created yourself. My kids have used it and it looks just like their writing (which it actually is!), and it's also a great way for you to always know what their writing looked like when they were that age. (if you're interested, the site is fontifier.com -- the kids fill out a grid with letters in it, you scan the grid and upload it, and the site creates a font for you. Very cool)

Answer 2

Is have a child write a generic thank you, photo copy it, then just fill in teh names and signature?

I am trying to teach my 6 y.o. that you need to write thank you's to show appreacation after recievng a gift. Is ok for me to write a simple thank you note, make copies then have him fill in the names ( ie, nana, auntie, etc) then sign his name at the bottom, so he doesn't get overwhelmed?

Answer 3

I have a different but similar suggestion. Instead of having him write one generic one and copying it, what about typing one out with blanks for him to fill in. This would be more personalized, and he would still be writing his name and more information. Something like "Dear ( ), Thank you so much for the ( ). It's really ( ). I had a great Christmas, and I appreciate you thinking of me! I'm looking forward to ( ) with your present! Love, ( )"
And maybe leave another blank for him to draw something, or write an additional sentence or something. Goodluck!

Answer 4

Bravo for you!!! Actually teaching a child to write thank you notes. You get 10 stars!! Since he is such a little guy, what are you suggesting is ok. Everyone will understand and appreciate his efforts.

Answer 5

Dumbo Wafflebutt

Answer 6

I personally think that it is better to write each thank you individually that to photocopy it and "fill in the blanks"..
Your child can write a thank you card or two a day so they are not overwhelmed.

Answer 7

It would be better if you got blank cards, and you wrote in the thank you note part, and then have him sign each card.

You can have him sit with you while you write it and ask him what he would like to say while you write it down, so the thank you comes from him.

Answer 8

How many does he need to write? If it's fewer than 10 then I woud suggest helping him make each note personal. Generic thank-you's seem to defeat the purpose of the thank you note in my opinion. You also don't want to encourage your child to take shortcuts on certain things.

Answer 9

Would you be satisfied receiving that from another 6 yr old? If so, then go for it. At least he's writing notes. That's more than most folks do these days.

Answer 10

No. You are teaching your child to be cheap. He or she will take this one-size-fits-all attitude through life. Just one line of thanks will do for such a letter. Either do it or not - but don't do a photocopied and insincere halfway house of a solution as you have proposed.