Tips for teaching kids to write thank you notes

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My students blessed me with many thoughtful gifts this holiday season. And then they blessed me all over again with their smiles of pure joy and happiness when I handed them a thank you card. Seriously, my students were so happy to receive a thank you card. But that's what gift giving is all about, right? Feeling good about brightening another person's day.

With the holidays now behind us, what better time to instill a sense of gratitude into children? And it's great for getting in a little handwriting practice, too!

Here are four basic guidelines to follow:

1. Start with a greeting
2. Say "thank you"
3. Share how it made you feel or why you really like the gift
4. End with a closing

A few more tips:

• Get your child involved. Fold a blank piece of paper in half and have your child decorate the front or write 'Thank You' on the front.
• If your child is not yet able to write, write the letter yourself, and then have your child sign his or her name (even if it's just scribbles).
• Make a card on the computer. Allow your child to type the thank you letter. This takes the pressure off of the physical act of handwriting.

It doesn't have to be complicated. A thank you note from a child can look something like this:

Dear_______________,

Thank you for the ____________________.

I really like _________________________.

Love, (or Sincerely,)

_________________

See how simple it can be?