The holidays are a mixed bag for parents who enjoy spending time with family
but may be struggling to keep their bored students occupied. One tradition
that has been neglected in modern society is the hand-written ‘Thank
You’ note. Writing ‘Thank You’ notes not only helps
to establish ties with family and friends, it perpetuates a wonderful
festive traditional and helps students remember all they have to be thankful for.
It’s good for you!
A recent study showed that writing ‘Thank You’ notes actually
reduces anxiety and stress. This is because when you take the time out
to write about all the things you are thankful for, you realize how much you have.
‘Thank You’ notes help to strengthen family ties and friendships
and teach students appreciation. Thank you notes also teach the art of
good manners and diplomacy. If your student masters these skills, they
will be able to navigate social and (later in life) professional circles
with ease. Good manners set you apart from the crowd and effective networking
is what makes for a happy, well-adjusted adult.
How to go about it
Start by recording all the gifts your students get over the festive season.
Provide them with stationary or let them make their own. For most students,
writing all their ‘Thank You’ notes at once may be a bit daunting,
so it’s best to spread it out over several days.
Let your students pick out the ‘Thank You’ note stationary,
or let them decorate cards with stamps, scrapbooking supplies or pictures
that they can draw or paint.
Your students only have to write a sentence or two in each note, so try
to encourage creativity with wording.
Learning opportunity
Writing ‘Thank You’ notes is a great exercise in grammar and
spelling. Students can develop language and communication skills while
practicing their handwriting. It can be fun for them to experiment with
different styles of handwriting too.
Sure, emails and text messages may be quicker, but nothing shows appreciation
quite like getting a hand-written message in the mail. If your students
enjoy receiving mail, you can carry on the writing tradition by getting
them pen pals in exotic locations.
It may seem old fashioned, but a hand-written thank you note is a wonderful
way to express appreciation for the thoughtfulness of a friend or family
member. ‘Thank You’ notes are a great holiday tradition that
should be preserved. They have the power to teach a number of valuable
lessons and will help your student to appreciate all that they have received
and show their appreciation in a meaningful way.
