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Liliana in front of her wall of mail.
One of my past tips involved sending mail, but this one is all about getting mail.
I was going through our firesafe box the other day. Among our passports, birth certificates and social security cards, I found two handwritten letters.
One is from my cousins who live in Pakistan. They wrote to me after I visited. Even then, reading was important to me - I left them my copies of Harry Potter books that I read on the flights over to Pakistan. They loved them and were getting the next book. Yay!
Another, is from my grandfather who passed away in 1994. He worked hard to learn English and he used some of his English to write me letters. He wrote about missing his homeland and wanting the area to be peaceful.
I cherish these letters.
And, the whole point of getting mail is to read it. It's one other meaningful way to read.
I was going through our firesafe box the other day. Among our passports, birth certificates and social security cards, I found two handwritten letters.
One is from my cousins who live in Pakistan. They wrote to me after I visited. Even then, reading was important to me - I left them my copies of Harry Potter books that I read on the flights over to Pakistan. They loved them and were getting the next book. Yay!
Another, is from my grandfather who passed away in 1994. He worked hard to learn English and he used some of his English to write me letters. He wrote about missing his homeland and wanting the area to be peaceful.
I cherish these letters.
And, the whole point of getting mail is to read it. It's one other meaningful way to read.
Getting Mail
1. The number one way to get mail...is to send mail.
People will answer you. Usually in the same format. If you send a postcard, you might get a postcard back. If you send an email, you will likely get an email in return. Since we've started sending postcards, we've been getting lots of postcards too! It's so much fun.
2. Ask other people to send mail to your kid.
If your kids are young, encourage others to send your kids mail. Grandparents, friends, aunts, uncles and teachers are all great candidates. You can read the mail with your child and they will feel special that they got their own mail.
3. Join a penpal club.
Here is an awesome website to join - and they welcome kids. It's called Postcrossing.
The goal of Postcrossing is to allow anyone to receive postcards from all over the world. The main idea is: if you send a postcard, you will receive at least one back from a random person somewhere in the world.
4. Write letters now to be delivered later.
Sometimes, the best letters for your kid are the ones that are delivered later. Tell your story. Have grandparents tell theirs. And, don't forget to have your kids write their stories. Here are a few good options to prompt.
People will answer you. Usually in the same format. If you send a postcard, you might get a postcard back. If you send an email, you will likely get an email in return. Since we've started sending postcards, we've been getting lots of postcards too! It's so much fun.
2. Ask other people to send mail to your kid.
If your kids are young, encourage others to send your kids mail. Grandparents, friends, aunts, uncles and teachers are all great candidates. You can read the mail with your child and they will feel special that they got their own mail.
3. Join a penpal club.
Here is an awesome website to join - and they welcome kids. It's called Postcrossing.
The goal of Postcrossing is to allow anyone to receive postcards from all over the world. The main idea is: if you send a postcard, you will receive at least one back from a random person somewhere in the world.
4. Write letters now to be delivered later.
Sometimes, the best letters for your kid are the ones that are delivered later. Tell your story. Have grandparents tell theirs. And, don't forget to have your kids write their stories. Here are a few good options to prompt.
Sidenote: This literacy tip is great because it also spurs writing! It's one of my favorites. Everyone loves getting real mail!
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
