A Simple Thank You

I am a big believer in sending thank you notes. They not only show that you are grateful for the gift, or gesture, or time, or small act of kindness, or person, or whatever, but it also shows the person that you are willing to put some time and effort into showing that gratitude. Plus, it's nice to get something other the bills in the mail.

I am trying to teach my sons the importance of being grateful for what they have, so they send thank you notes too. Until very recently none of my children were actually able to write a thank you note, but that didn't get them out of sending little notes of thanks. Typically I write their words for them, or hold their little hands to help them form the letter all the while saying the shape that I am making.

To get the kids in on the act so that they are showing their thanks in their own way, I simply put a large piece of blank paper in front of them and let them go to town. Sometimes they use crayons, sometimes markers, in the most recent case, for their Christmas thank you cards, they used paint that Santa brought them.

Here is Ben's masterpiece:

And Max's on the left:

I then cut the paper into card shapes and we write the notes together. 

I like to think that the act of giving thanks is rubbing off on them. Last year Ben wrote this sweet little message on his new chalkboard.

And Max spent most of Christmas morning thanking Santa. 

I also hope that these little homemade cards are creating small moments of joy in the people who receive them. 

Do you still send thank you cards? Do you have your kids send them? If you have young kids, How do you get around the whole inability to write part?