Christmas cards to school friends.... Is it really worth the hassle?

[chuffinalong]

Hi, my daughter is 10 years old but has learning difficulties. Every year she receives a card from every member of her class, so about 30. She then has to write 30 cards herself. She starts off by writing more than she should, even draws pictures etc, then gets fed up with it very quickly. I always end up forging her writing on the boys cards (she does the girls first, then looses interest.)
I'd love to stop it and just let her write cards to her relatives. I want her to enjoy writing out cards and thinking of the person and what she wants to say, but writing 30 cards, even split up is a lot for her and causes distress.
I'd really like to let the mums know this and maybe give a bag of choc coins to every child instead of a card. Do you think this would be acceptable or would they or the children think "well I made one for you!"
I'd be grateful for any thoughts on this.

bump

If she really wants to send them, you could get a cheap box of mixed cards, to save her drawing them all. Then all she has to write is their name and her name. Or could you get her to write one message and her name, scan it, then print it on labels to stick in the cards? Cuts down on the stress (hers and yours), but she will still feel she's doing the same as everyone else.

Hope that helps.

Or just do the girls/children she likes best?

When mine were in school they did the card to everyone in the class thing to begin with. then after a year or so it was cards to most of the class but not those they really disliked. following year it was mainly just friends and actual people they wanted to give one to. One year DD sent many cards but included a choc coin in the envelope of a select few.

Tbh I think it was just the receiving a card that mattered to both mine, not who they were actually from. Some days it was like a competition between siblings, when they emptied out their book bags at home, to see who had got the most cards that day. I suppose they felt that by sending as many as possible, it would increase their chances of getting more back, although I'm not sure that was really how it worked. I never remember them complaining that X or Y hadn't sent them a card when they had been given one.

Now we don't have that problem anymore as they are both homeschooled. They just send cards to whoever they feel like, no pressure or competition. They probably receive less back than they used to do, but IMO they appreciate them more and actually take some notice of who they were sent by.

I think in your DD's case, I'd be tempted to just get her to sign her name only in a stack of 30 cards. Then if she is able write the names on the 30 envelopes, otherwise you could do this part for her, to save on writing. Then just put 1 card in 1 envelope and send. If they are any particular friends she might want to do a bit extra for, hold those envelopes back until last. If your DD feels like it she could then personalise a card for that person. If not just bung it in the envelope like the others

At our School they ask for children to not do individual cards to classmates as 30x 30 =900 cards per class which they say isn't great for the environment so instead they ask that each child, if they wish to do cards, do one card for the whole class. This can be home made or bought. They put them all up in the classroom.

This works well could your daughter do one big card 'for everyone in class3R"

Thanks everyone, some great suggestions.