Do you make your Children write thank you cards

[CarolineCJ]

I am just curious as to how many people ask their children to write thank you cards after they have received something say Christmas/Birthday,

'Is a card seen as superior to a personalised whatsapp video? If so why?'

Yes in my eyes totally.

In this world of social media a 2 second job of a video clip or similar is an everyday occurrence, I personally treasure whats left of old fashioned values, thought, time and yes even beautiful handwriting. A card or a letter I think is lovely. I adored doing them as a dc and my Dd is the the same.

Yes I'm odd I guess

'Cards are prehistoric.'

Not here

Cards are displayed and often treasured

*Wow, this thread is depressing

I think so too, but for a different reason.

It's depressing to see the insistence that people from areas where thank you cards aren't 'a thing' have no manners.*

I completely agree .. it's just simply not done here. That doesnt mean I'm rude, we just do things differently.

Yes. Without question. If someone has taken the time and effort to send a gift, we always write thank you notes. It was how I was brought up, and it's important to me. DS is 7 and we've sent notes all his life - obviously with him contributing more as he has got older. Nearly all of DS's friends send thank you notes for birthday gifts too.

Sad to see in some homes they go 'straight in the bin'

Sad

Surely the acknowledgement of the gift is the most important thing regardless of how it's done??🤔

theoretically where should I keep cards? If i kept every card sent to my child, every piece of art work they ever did, my niece and nephew ever did I would be buried under the paper. Its all very nice and sentimental but what is the point of a card gathering dust in storage.

I only keep the odd one now

Dp family must be really 'prehistoric' as they even date the cards

No we don't
We do say thank you though. I don't like receiving them either and I don't like cards I think it's a waste of paper and more clutter.

No, because my mother's obsession with them in my childhood has put me right off receiving presents - I don't want presents, I don't want to receive thank you letters. She took the whole thing to extremes though, with the ostentatious writing of the thank you letter list dominating the unwrapping of presents, and the letters having to meet ridiculous content, length, neatness, layout and accuracy standards meaning multiple drafts hand written. Few presents were worth it.

I acknowledge and thank for presents not received in person by email, or the kids do by phone. Teen Dc1 writes thank you letters to my mother of her own accord if she feels like it, but I will never make her.

Acknowledgment/ thanking is essential, not letters.

Sad to see in some homes they go 'straight in the bin'

Where do you want people to keep them and for how long? I don't have the space to keep loads of cards for days or weeks on end - so I read them and they go out with the bin the next time it goes out I'm afraid. I have a small house with little storage and a puppy who will eat anything left lying out!

Yes, thank you cards for anyone who wasn't around to thank in person (which is most people). Have a few friends who I send messages to with photos instead but that's mainly because that's how they do their thank you replies. I do find it rude if I give a gift and then hear nothing, I don't mind a text or message though in lieu of a card. Just some acknowledgement of thanks is nice.

If I get any, I pop them on the fridge for a bit.

I'm afraid when I receive one, I immediately feel sympathy for the poor child that has been made to write a note by their mum. I hated it as a kid. A text or picture message is fine.

I am totally with ConfusedBeetle here.
My own parents are in their 80s, don't live close to us and don't connect with the internet at all. No devices whatsoever, not even a mobile phone. So my children (now fully-grown adults) have always sent them a 'Thank You' card, as this is the polite thing to do.

KatiePoes What a strange attitude some of you have
If it's what you do in your world that's your thing, please don't write the rest of us off as rude

I'd like to add to that: Please don't write the rest of us as 'strange' if that is not what you choose to do in your impolite world.

DP's nieces and nephews have, over the last couple of years, been married in California. Four weddings. Four lots of flights, accommodation costs, four lots of (rather expensive) gifts. Not One Thank You note from a single one of them. Not One (not even an acknowledgement on Facebook).

Fucking Rude, and they will be receiving nothing more from us, for as long as they live.

WaterlooElephant I’m old fashioned and still like to write letters with a fountain pen

That's so lovely!

No I don't, but I make sure they write texts or emails to senders individually.

My world is not impolite. I simply object to an assumption that the many many people that do not have your custom are rude.

You also made the assumption that anyone who complies with this custom is strange. That was rather rude in itself, I felt.

Yes I do, just stood over my 17 year old DS reminding him to write his. And I told him that there is no need to complain as this is the last year he needs to do them as in our family we stop gifts at 18. . I do think it’s rude not to send some form of thanks, whether by letter, email, text or phone call for presents (different if they have been handed over in person & you can thank the giver immediately).
I am mildly irritated by certain relatives who never say thank you (in any form), I think it is bad manners.
I personally receive two gifts in the post and I will write thank you letters (in fountain pen).

You also made the assumption that anyone who complies with this custom is strange. That was rather rude in itself, I felt.

That's not how I read it at all. She said it was a strange attitude to have, to think that the way that something is done in your culture is the only polite way of doing things, that all other traditions are wrong or impolite.

Sorry, posted too soon.

She didn't say that people who follow your tradition are strange.

What a strange attitude some of you have

Hmm - how else could one interpret this? I read it that she felt those of us who followed this tradition are strange.
Perhaps some clarification needed?

I do think it rude in the extreme not to thank someone who has given a gift. A msg on social media doesn't always cut it (especially as not everyone accesses social media). The older generation like a proper card or letter. My own parents have mobility problems, so if they have taken the trouble to leave the house, choose a gift and wrap it, then make another trip to the Post Office to send it, the least anyone can do is thank them appropriately. Nothing strange in that at all.