to let him write his name in birthday card

[mrsunreasonable]

Just need some straight talking advise. DS1 (3 1/2) has just learned to write his own name I am of course ridiculously proud of this but I realise this is because I am his mum and everyone else will not be as excited about this development as me. He just started Nursery Class at the local primary in September and is invited to one of his classmates birthdays at the weekend. My query is do I let him write his name in the card or will this be viewed as showing off pushy parent style competitativeness? I don't know any of the other mums except to say hello to as we pass in the corridor as I seem to be one of the few that has to rush off to work after drop off and DS1 goes to after school day care until I pick him up so I don't see any parents then either so it's hard to guage how it will be taken. Any ideas? Is it best just to write the card myself?

Let him

It's sweet

definitely let him

Oh let him - otherwise there's no point in him learning to write it, is there? When do you write your name except in a card when you're 3?

Definitely let him! Bless! :)

I always let dd2 write her own name. It looks a mess, but I let her anyway. Why not?

Of course let him - any parnet who thought something negative about a LO writing name would be a nasty arse

Let him.

My DC's have been scrawling in cards since they could hold a crayon.

Let him.

I remember being fairly good humoured about all the hand written names in DSs preschool Christmas cards last year when DS couldn't.

Especially Alexander, which was just showing off

If you don't, when are you going to let him? When you feel his 'peers' have caught up with his brilliance? When the last child in the class can write their names?

IMO, not letting him write his name in case it makes others feel bad is worse.

I still make my parents mother and fathers day cards and write in them with my left hand so it's all wobbly.

Let him, and be proud of him :) Their children will either already be able to do this or soon catch up :)

oh yes let him - like neveronasunday - those parents whose children can't do it will be fine about it (unless they're a bit of an arse - and well if you're an arse you're an arse )

Oh yes let him

DD 'wrote' her name in cards from when she could hold a pen.

If he can do it, let him! Why should anyone see it as showing off?

My dd's can't ride a bike, when many of their peers can , but I don't look at other children riding bikes and think "hmph- bloody show-off! Bet his parents are really pushy!"

Ha! Mine can ride a bike without stabilisers.

So there.

ha - well one of mine taught himself to tell the time (1/2 past and on the hour) when he nursery age - and from a clock that had no numbers on it just straight lines - so there

at neveronasunday

I have tried, several times (although my patience and my will to live has never lasted long enough to see it through) It does make me feel like a bad mother, although actually maybe it is more a dad's job- yeah, DH is a bad father and my conscience is clear!

why shouldn't you let your DC do this?

If other people have a problem with this then it is their problem.

Jooly - I tried several times over many year to teach DS1 to ride a bike.

He eventually did it on his own (me sat on a bench watching) in July - a month after his 6yr old brother also taught himself (out of the blue in 2 attempts ).......DS1 has just turned 10........

At 3 1/2 fine.

At 1 1/2 that would be showing off

MaMoTTaT- thank you! dd1 is terribly academic-minded and not very good at physical things, so hopefully she will indeed come to it in her own sweet time. dd2 is lazy horribly averse to anything "difficult" (ie anything that she can't do immediately!)

They could both write their own name at 3 1/2 though

Oh yes...my ow DD didn't write her name till she was well over 4 but I never once thought to judge the parents of kids who signed her cards!

Another child was a gifted artist...AMAZING art...and he alwaysmade all his own cards...beautifully drawn...we never once thought "Ooh the big show off!" But treasured the art as a possible
future investment lovely memento of her nursery days!

Jooly - I'm sure she'll get there in her own time. AFAIK there's no "guideline" age (as per the good old red book from when they were little) as to when they should be able to ride a bike without stabilisers.

To see DS1 now you'd never guess that less than 6 months ago he couldn't even balance on it let alone pedal the thing

(and DS2 is just odd - getting on a bike and riding it is bizarre - well I think it is anyhow - and I know he hadn't been practising secretly as the bike was at his dad's house LOL)