Do your children write their own thank you cards?

The birthday party has ended and a sense of relief fills the air.  No more menus to plan, groceries to buy or party bags to fill.  However there is still one box on the “to do” list that has not been checked off: thank yous.

In a world where there are more emails sent in a day than traditional snail mail letters, I feel it is important to have children write thank yous after their birthday parties.  Obviously a 2 year old cannot sit down and write, “Thank you so much for coming to my party and bringing me a toy that makes noise all day and drives my parents crazy.”  (I had to say that because all parents have one toy that they want to donate).

Anyway, a two year old can usually write the first letter of his/her name or at least scribble at the end of the card.  By the age of four, your son or daughter can most often print his/her name on each thank you.  And by elementary school, you can buy the thank you cards in which the child fills in the blank with one or two words.

No matter how much or how little your child contributes to the thank you card, I believe it is an important life skill to teach and learn.

Idea of the Day:

Have your child write thank you cards with you.

Here are a couple free printable card sites you can use:

DLK’s Custom Greeting Cards

KidPrintables.com

Do your children enjoy writing?

My son (1st grader) has finally warmed up to the idea of writing.  It is still not his favorite thing to do nor will he put much effort into it.  Prior to this year he strongly disliked coloring, drawing and writing.  Now that his fine motor skills are more developed, he thinks it is ok.

My daughter (3 years old) loves to color, draw and write.  She is usually carrying a small notebook and pencil with her.  If it is not in her hand, there is one packed in her purse or backpack.  Although her form and technique need some time to develop, I am thrilled that she likes to write!

Each child will develop his/her writing skills at his/her own pace.  However providing children with the opportunity to practice their skills is very important.  A number of sources discuss that at age two, children should be introduced to drawing straight lines.  Reinforcing straight lines and introducing zig zag and curved lines should begin at age three.  By age four, children should begin practicing their letters.

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Are you a coupon clipper?

Every week I take the time to cut the coupons from the Sunday paper, hoping to save a few dollars here and there.  I used to think I was fairly good at saving money until I realized I was not maximizing my coupons.  This was brought to my attention by one of my good friends who is amazing when it comes to using coupons.  I don’t think she has paid for cereal for 3 months now.

There is a great website called Pocket Your Dollars. It gives you the weekly ads from Target, Cub and a few others and then tells you which coupons to use to get the best deal.  I have recently started to use this site and have noticed that I am saving more money than I have in the past.

I realize that cutting and sorting coupons takes time and organization.  However I have also realized that coupon clipping can be turned into a learning activity.  Saving money and teaching your children at the same time is a great combination.

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Are your children starting their holiday wish list?

With the stores decorating for the holidays, the toy commercials and the daily toy catalogs that arrive in the mail, it hard for young children to understand that it is only the first week of November.

As the holidays approach and the shopping begins, you have to remember that it is fun for kids to create a “wish list”.  It is also important to teach them the importance of giving to others.  Therefore you can have them create two wish lists. (more…)

Have you ever used the “How to Draw…” books?

Last week at the library my children and I were in the art section and found, How to Draw Cartoon Vehicles by Curt Visca.  We decided to check it out and give our artistic side a try.

Today we cracked out the drawing paper, sharpened our pencils and began to draw.  This step in itself was a success.  The fact that my son was willing to sit down and give drawing a try was progress.  He could sit all day with a stack of books and be content.  However you throw a pencil in the mix and a bad attitude and angry eyebrows surface almost immediately.  Writing, spelling, and drawing are on the top of his, “Least Favorite Things To Do in a Day” list.  However for the next 25 minutes we all drew our best cartoon vehicles with no whining or quitting.

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