To let me daughter put 'no address' letters in the post box every few days? Or is it causing too much extra work for Royal Mail?

[FiveSugarsPlease]

My daughter is 5 and has HFA.

For the past few months, she's been telling me about a teddy bear friend called Jerren who lives in Africa. She likes to draw pictures and letters for him.

For the past few weeks, she's been wanting to post them each time. I agreed to this as i thought there was no harm. It's just 2-3 sheets of paper in the post box each week that can be recycled/put in the bin quite easily, and it keeps a little girl happy.

But posting one of the pictures today, a man and lady stopped me and said i was causing a lot of extra work for Royal Mail by littering the post box with nonsense.

DD tried to explain to the lady about her bear friend, i tried to subtly explain, too. The couple just rolled their eyes and walked off.

I'm now wondering if I'm BU letting dd post these letters? She'll be heartbroken if i make her stop before she's ready or before this phase naturally wears off. But if it's some sort of crime and/or giving the postal workers extra work, I should stop, yes?

Opinions would be very much appreciated.

[SofiaAmes]

Desiren, what a fantastic idea.

[edam]

Oh, that's so lovely. And it's hard to argue with her logic... I bet the postie doesn't mind at all, as bigfuck says it'll make a change from some of the less charming items.

[vintagecakeisstillnice]

Signing up to be Jerren too

Would a cat paw print be good enough?

Could one of us write in suitable bear type lettering/ stationery saying that Jerren is travelling and could his/her mail be sent to. . . .whoever?

I can offer east of England/ Ireland/ San Fran/ North India????

[QuintessentialOldDear]

Just a question, do bears live in Africa? Is it not too hot?

[evelynj]

Sorry to buck the trend but I think YABU. Don't know what hfa is tho?

It is extra work for RM & I think it teaches a bit of do what you like attitude when children should know rules etc about how post etc works.

Could you make a pretend post box in the. House for her? Or use any pre-paids as PP said to send the lovely items to big companies who send junk mail-maybe ask your friends. To save you any pre-paids they receive. This way someone may get enjoyment from the lovely things.

[NumTumDeDum]

Can you make a postbox at home and decorate it for special teddy mail? You could make sure the letter goes overnight and then post replies back to her.

[ArtisanLentilWeaver]

I think teddies live in Africa, Quint.

[NorksAreMessy]

quint High Functioning Autism.

Another one here who thinks that the couple are joyless life-suckers and would be proud to be part of Jerrens fan club / answering committee.

Life needs more whimsy, and your DD is showing us how to do it properly

[SandStorm]

I like to think that in some sorting office somewhere there is a wall covered with letters to Jerren to cheer up the posties.

[gallicgirl]

I asked a RM manager who said:
If it has a senders address on the outside it gets sent back. If it has no senders address it goes to belfast to b opened. If there is an address inside it will b returned, if no address then it gets destroyed. Not bad for a 60p stamp!

I imagine whoever opens it has a little smile but not particularly much work imo.

[gemdotcom]

I actually Lol'd at the 'bears can't write back' :)

Just asked dh if this would send RM into meltdown and the simple answer is no! And YANBU!!!!!!!

A massive machine reads addresses and sorts into areas, if it can't read an address it drops into a 'dead letter' pile which staff try to get it delivered, as it's just a picture it will go to be destroyed :( but no doubt it will raise a smile in the office.

[MrsLouisTheroux]

Oh they really need to mind their own business. BIL is here and a postman. He says that your DD's letters are scooped into a sack and tipped onto a conveyor belt to be electronically sorted. Addresses are read by a processing machine (not a person) and poor Jerren's letters will just be rejected and binned dealt with at the end. How long do this couple think it will take the P.O. to work out the 'letter' is from a young child?! Hardly an onerous task. Let her do it, no harm at all.

[MrsLouisTheroux]

Xpost gem!

[Turniptwirl]

If I was the postman I would just think it was sweet

[QuintessentialOldDear]

I get that. Teddy bears can live anywhere and everywhere!

But, do bears live in Africa? I am wondering, because I just saw the JungleBook again, and was wondering about Baloo. So does anyone know if Bears live in Africa or India? I dont think they do....

I thought bears lived in the Northern Hemisphere. But of course, it is a work of fiction!

[NorksAreMessy]

And this reminds me...where is POMTOO
POMTOO

[catgirl1976]

I now have an amazing image of a really diligent Royal Mail working really hard to track down Jerren the bear so they can deliver his mail.

Possibly sending someone out to Africa to search for him in person. In my mind, this person is wearing a white safari outfit and everyone talks in a 1940s RP accent. "God lord Atkins. There are 7 letters now and we are no closer to locating Jerren. There's nothing for it old chap, you are going to have to go to Kenya and find him. The pride of the Royal Mail rests in your hands"

[PickledMoomin]

We are off to the states soon. We could send a jerren back

[Naoko]

I have a friend who works at the office that deals with mail the sorting machines can't make sense of - illegible address, no address, address doesn't make sense or incomplete ('the queen, that big palace, london' sort of thing). Whenever he gets a particularly amusing one he tells me about it because it brightens up his day, I'm sure they won't mind :)

[ArtisanLentilWeaver]

Africa has one species of bear! I googled it. The mysterious Atlas bear. yay!

[FunkyNails]

Royal Mail clearly manage at Christmas when I'm sure Santa receives plenty correspondence. I think it's really cute and you shouldn't stop her

[ArtisanLentilWeaver]

Atlas bear became extinct in 1870.
Jerren now the only official African bear.

[neddle]

I used to work for Royal Mail; I found a porn mag in a postbox once

[Tullahulla]

You're wee girl is doing absolutely no harm to anyone, as already said, her wee letters will be binned - but she doesn't know that. She's not expecting a reply as her bear can't write back - I think it's rather sweet (smile)

[PigOnStilts]

I think it's a Shame to send all that hard work off into the ether....you have to address it even just back to yourself...you'd be so happy to have all that in years time.