AIBU to fake my children's involvement in the production of xmas thank-you notes?

[ilovejackreacher]

I have two sons 4 and nearly 2, and although I patted myself on the back for finding the perfect crafty activity (crayon rubbing thing) for them to do to make TY notes, it turns out that they can only do about 1/2 a sheet of paper each before getting totally bored (for which I don't blame them at all).

My question therefore is, am I being unreasonable to fake their involvement in the crayon rubbing process (just by making it appear to be done by pre-schoolers) in order to get the whole TY business over and done with? For some reason I am finding it hard to let go of the original vision...

Not quite sure what has happened to my life.

Get them to do one each. Take a photo of the result, print copies off and stick them on a card.

I had exactly the same problem with the homemade Christmas cards I "helped" my son (3.9) make. He got bored after the first two, so I ended up doing some deliberately wonky potato printing and glittering.

With the Thank You cards, I managed to get through them on a one-a-day (maximum) basis.

I like belinda's idea

Blimey no of course not!. Tbh what you are attempting is more than I'd do at their ages.

Just get the things sent. Make 'em short and sweet and get ds's to put a kiss at the bottom.

I used to attempt things like this... And then stress over it!

Now I just buy some, I write them and dd signs her name now she's old enough or drew a "picture" inside each.

DS has done half our cards and will get him to do the rest today hopefully. Pain in the neck isn't it?! Shouldn't have started this!!! Should have just put a pic of him unwrapping gifts on front with thank you written over the top!

Do it. I've done similar before.

I have also faked it before. Or chosen something like hand-prints which can be done very quickly.

Luckily at 5 and 7, they can be bribed. 5p per card this year

(and they wrote their younger siblings' cards too, and very quickly as they wanted to 'win' more money than the other)

I write the message, my eldest signs his 'autograph' and one on behalf of his brother. My eldest is 8 though, so I'm probably U for not forcing him to do his own.

Just do it. I frequently do wobbly signatures when I realise a card needs to be posted and they are at school.

make one - photocopy it. Job done

I have done this for several years now people love them as you can get a pretty good picture and often (maybe next year) some writing as well "Thank you very much for my present love x"

I complimented one of the mums at school on getting her dd to write lovely thank you notes. She told me the secret - one note that she then colour photocopied ! I was well impressed with the creativity of this solution

I copy onto card which looks lovely.....

Thanks all for the advice and confirmation that I'm not doing something beyond the pale! Fortunately, my artistic skills have never been up to much, so I feel that I'm going to be able to present very authentic looking, child-crafted items...

Next year, I will be going for a photo related option (and the year after, the bribery option...)

YABU. Why not just get ordinary cards, write them yourself and just get your DCs to sign at the bottom as best they can? It's not as if anyone's going to be fooled that they "did it themselves" at that age anyway :o

Let them do a large colourful abstract painting and then cut it up and stick different bits to the front of cards.

As a child I was ritually forced to write thankyou cards after Christmas, (never saw what was wrong with a phoned-in one myself?!) When I tried to write one and photocopy I got told off big time ... Such a good idea if you can get away with it though!!

I sometimes "fake" DD's name on cards

I am all for photocopying. My little fella wrote one thank you note which I then colour photocopied. Job done ;)

Tilly I am the master at that, even the kids cant tell! On my dads birthday my 6 year old said that he didnt remember signing the card :o

It is February tomorrow - I can't believe you are still doing Christmas TY cards????

I havent even started ours!