Thank you letters from me or DD?

[DitaVonCheese]

DD is 3, had party on Sat. Need to write thank you cards - I will write then she will "sign" them. Do I write them as if from her ("Thanks for x, I really like it", nothing too cute/naff) or from me ("Thanks for x, she really likes it")? Former seems bit cheesy, latter nonsensical. Any thoughts? (NAK sorry)

[ThePsychicSatsuma]

we attended a party on saturday and they'd put a small typed note in each party bag, saying
thank you for coming,and for your gift
we hope you enjoyed yourself as much as X did!
lots of love,
X

that was a clever way to do it.

[BonnyBanks]

I don't think it matters too much which way you do it as long as the person is thanked. For what it's worth I write them from as if from my children. Most thank you notes I receive tend to do the same.

[snailoon]

Psychic
I would rather receive no thanks than a preprinted note like this, What's the point?
Actually, I don't like writing or receiving thank you letters; they always sound phony, and yes I know it's really important to train your kids to write them.
I think the nicest thing is to tain kids to be extremely enthusiastic when they open the present in front of their friend, and for the parent to make an effort to mention the present to the other parent in a personal way:
"DS absolutely loved the poster and insisted on rearranging his room to put it in the best spot"-- that sort of thing.
What I don't like is for presents to be put in a pile for later (the child who picked out and wrapped the present and made a card is really looking forward to bestowing his wonderful present and is disappointed), and then watching my child open a mysterious card a week later (which he thinks is going to be a party invite), but turns out to say "Thank you for the poster, and I hope you liked my party." DS is disappointed and I am left with an image of harassed Mum and child having to write thank you notes for presents which they didn't particularly like.
Have you ever seen a child thrilled to open a thank-you?
I am quite sure no one will agree with me on this.

[ThePsychicSatsuma]

oh snailoon!!

I just thought it was a nice little thing to stick in a party bag, a little thank you, dd read it, fine.
at a big party there isnt time to open a load of presents, risk of losing little bits amidst a sea of wrapping, also nice for the child to have a pile of gifts to open later, quietly at home...

[ThePsychicSatsuma]

thankyous more for the mums than the kids, IMO, as it is true kids not really interested in thatnkyous.

be nice to send a proper card for any super-generous gifts, ie from family members etc

[snailoon]

Sorry, I guess I was ranting. We usually have fairly small parties for good friends and family friends together. Our parties last a pretty long time and so there is plenty of opportunity to open the presents in a personal way, If you have whole class parties with an entertainer at a village hall for 2 hours, I understand that this wouldn't work.
I guess I'm just protesting about the enormous pile of unwanted presents, and the dutiful writing of thank-you letters, but I actually think it's great that people have so many different ways of giving parties.

[ThePsychicSatsuma]

the downside of the big parties is 31 presents of tat!
I always get a top for the birthday kid, no plastic crapola.

[DitaVonCheese]

Thanks for replies :) Last year, last two years actually, DD has had small family parties so has opened gifts there and then. This year we had the village hall for two hours with everyone from her pre-school class, so put gifts to one side to open later as no time, might be bit confusing for other children to see her open lots of presents, gave me a chance to write down who gave what etc, so givers didn't see her open them, hence need for cards. Doubt incidentally that any of the children involved knew or cared what was in the presents! Do agree they are for parents not children though - it's the parents who have chosen, paid for and wrapped the presents after all.

[snailoon]

When kids are older they some of them put huge effort and thought into what they give their special friends. My daughter bores us for weeks about her friend's presents and starts making (and losing) cards for them months ahead of time.