As parents, it’s so essential to us to impart as much wisdom as possible into our children’s lives while we have them. It seems like, as kids grow so fast, in a blink it’s gone, and they’ve grown up. It means there’s only a short amount of time that we can give them the wisdom we’ve learned through the years (and hoping desperately that they follow our advice, despite knowing that all of us have to make some mistakes ourselves in order to learn). Writing letters to your children is the perfect way to share that wisdom with them for years to come, even after they leave the nest.
Sometimes you know what to say and how to say it before they’re ready to hear it. I know there are a lot of things I want to tell Zach because the words are in my head now, but the topic or timing isn’t appropriate for his age, so there are many letters that I can write to him now, then give to him when he’s older– whether it’s at a specific age or at a specific event in the future. It helps me get those thoughts down, just in case I never get to tell him (or in case the words won’t come when the situation arises) without sharing too much when he’s young.
Letters leave a lasting legacy. If you pass before your child does, there’s a very good chance they’ll remember the lessons you left behind, but having those physical written words to go on leaves a legacy that your child won’t soon forget. Letters can be cherished forever, passed down through generations, and savored, re-read, and re-loved, even after you pass. Spoken words can’t always do that.
Letters are timeless. In a digital world, we’ve largely moved on to videos, voicemails, texts, emails… letters are something that are almost a throwback to another era, and that’s precisely what makes them so special. Think of the last time that you got a handwritten letter… it’s probably been awhile, hasn’t it? It’s unfortunate, but as we move into a more digital age (as great as it is), we’re missing out on those great letters that we once held dear.
Letters represent a personal bond. When you handwrite a letter to your child, you’re saying “you’re important to me. I took time to write this down for you because you matter.” It’s important to share those thoughts with your child, to let them know that you value them enough to take the time to write those things down. Even if your child doesn’t grasp the significance, it definitely won’t be lost on you as you’re writing.
It helps you flesh out your own thoughts and memories, and helps you record those stories for future generations. Sometimes, I forget details of my life until I begin to put pen to paper. More than once, I’ve sat down to tell a story from my life, and struggled to find the words, then I put pen to paper and suddenly, the story floods back. When we take the time to write out memories and thoughts, we are able to preserve those a little bit more than if we just tell a story. And a verbal story to your child, while important, is much like the game of telephone. When they go to tell their children, the story will be different just slightly… you can preserve that history, in your own words, by writing it down. Your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren will thank you for it.
It’s so important to share your story with your children, and that’s why I’m a huge advocate of writing letters to your children. Now, I’m not the perfect example of this, because Zach doesn’t have nearly as many letters waiting for him as I’d like… but I’m honestly hoping writing this series encouraging parents to write to their kids will help me jump start my own writing for Zach, also, and get back in the groove. Stay tuned because I’m going to be sharing how to start writing letters, as well as a list of writing prompts and ideas to get you started, next week and the week after that on the blog! You’ll also want to subscribe to my newsletter because there will be new prompts in the newsletter throughout the series to help you stick to your writing, as well as some links to inspiring pins that will help you get started!
Do you write letters to your children? Let me know your thoughts on writing to your children in the comments below!
If you’re looking for more ways to leave a lasting, classic bond with your children, check out this family time capsule, too!
