Kid Mail

In our “instant age,” it’s tempting to use the telephone exclusively to stay in touch with those who matter to us. The telephone, of course, has its place, but writing letters can be a very satisfying form of communication. Not only are letters inexpensive and portable, they can be enjoyed again and again. And written words are revelations of the person writing them.

To help your children learn to write letters, try some of the following suggestions.

Set a good example. We convey to our children our own priorities through the choices they see us make. If we never take time to write (or read, study the scriptures, laugh, or pray), we will communicate in an unmistakable way that we don’t consider such things important.

Remind your children to write. If you get children into the letter-writing habit when they are young, it will be easier for them to make writing letters an integral part of their activities later in life. My sister Karen has always made writing thank-you notes promptly a high priority, and she strongly encourages her children to express their appreciation for gifts and favors as well.

Take the time to help. Share the fun of writing letters. Sit down and talk with and listen to young children to help them recall the news they might want to share. Talking together is an important prewriting step.

Accept children’s efforts. Encourage children to send a favorite coloring page to Grandma and Grandpa. Take time to write in the margins or on the back of the page as your little one dictates to you. If the letter written by your seven-year-old seems less than perfect to you, encourage him to send it anyway. Like a school photo of a child with missing front teeth, it portrays him as he is right now, and it is more precious because of its imperfections.

Correspond creatively. Help children come up with unusual letter ideas to add to the fun. Try cutting letters and pictures from old magazines for a pasteup letter, or have them write in code. Instead of writing in the conventional left-to-right mode, print letters backward, from top to bottom, or in a spiral. They might even try making the letter into a jigsaw puzzle.

Begin now. The key to success is to get started. Your child’s letter-writing efforts will bring joy to him or her as well as to the recipient. And they will teach your child the importance—and fun—of keeping in touch.—Janine M. Gibson, Oregon City, Oregon