Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Santa Baby by Brenda Nixon

This week each of us co-authors on A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts is writing a letter to Santa. I don't know about you but I'll ask Santa for front row tickets to see a live performance of Il Divo. That won't happen.

Since I'm a speaker/author to parents, I will share tips for your children to write letters. They can then theirs to www.emailsanta.com and it's free!

Tip one:
Remind children to practice thankfulness; begin their letter with appreciating the stories and generosity of Santa. Whether Santa is real or not, it's good to teach kids to acknowledge others before putting out their hand in request.


Tip two:
Remind children that a letter to Santa is not a "to do" list. They can express their wants but that doesn't mean they'll get everything their little hearts desires (nor should they, as it sends the wrong life message).


Tip three:
Encourage children to be honest. Self-expression is therapeutic and often children can share their feelings better on paper - or to an imaginary friend - than to a live adult.


Tip four:
Assist tots who are too young to write. This experience must be fun for kids. If they're forced to sit and labor over their penmanship or in finding the right words, then they'll avoid it as work.

My two daughters occasionally wrote Santa letters. It gave my husband and I a sneak peek into their heart, while allowing us to be their first and most influential teachers.

Brenda Nixon, www.BrendaNixon.com
Co-author, A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts

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