Gift-giving season has ended and I’m wondering, “How do your kids say Thank You? Seems there are some differences of opinion as to the importance of teaching a child how to acknowledge a gift and following it up with a Thank You. I doubt anyone would actually feel that the simple act of saying Thank You is a bad thing. Yet, more and more parents seem to lack the skill or desire to pass along this simple skill.

Time passes but rules of etiquette last forever. A child who says Please and Thank You stands out in a crowd of kids who lack this social skill. For some it may seem old-fashioned to focus on a Thank You. When, exactly, did manners go out of style?

We are just a few days past Christmas and Hanukkah and your kids probably received some wonderful gifts. Those gifts were given with the hope of experiencing the joy they would bring to the recipient. If you live far from family members you should realize that gifts given at this time of year are a way of reconnecting. A way of expressing love. A way of inciting a conversation that enables the gift giver and recipient to reinforce their emotional bond. Trust me, grandparents are waiting to hear if the gift they sent was liked. Did it put a smile on a grandchild’s face? Are they enjoying playing with that toy? Simply, are the grandkids thinking of them?

So how do your kids say Thank You? There was a time when a hand-written note sent by mail was the only proper way to do it. I have to say I would be just as touched by a Thank You that arrives via a phone call, email, social media, or Skype. It’s not so much how it arrive but that it does arrive. That two-minute phone call brings joy to the heart of a grandparent. An email to Aunt Mary saying Thank You puts a smile on her face. It lets her know that her efforts and expression of emotion were received and appreciated. A Thank You post on Facebook to a sister who lives far away helps to rekindle the spark between siblings. Any Thank You  automatically tells the gift giver that they are being thought of and appreciated. Best of all, a Thank You starts a conversation. It allows people to connect. Smile. Cry. Hug. Smile some more. Most of all, it allow the gift giver to know that you care for them as much as they care for you.

There’s no reason to wait – say Thank You today.

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