Would you expect a 7yo to write their own thank-you letters?

**Duckie** · 08-03-2012, 07:30pm

Just wondering as we had a thank you letter today on behalf of our neice, K, written by SIL and not even signed by K. Now I admit I messed up a bit over her birthday as I left it too late to buy and wrap a present so ordered from Amazon and had it delivered direct to SIL (unwrapped) in the hope she'd wrap it and give it to K. I refuse to pay Amazon gift wrap prices after having my fingers burnt with it before as they include the slip saying exactly what it is so my Dad knew what his last Xmas present was without having to open it

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Anyway, back to the point - Anna wrote her own thank you letters at Xmas and she's only 5 and only just writing. K is very academically advanced - it's not like she struggles with writing or reading at all, so I would expect her to write her own. And in the past I'm sure we've had letters from her rather than written by SIL. Am I the only one who thinks it's a bit off that SIL wrote the thank you letter on her behalf??? I don't even know if K received it - it was a Sylvanian Family set which I bought because Anna absolutely loves them and she suggested it but I wonder if SIL doesn't like them and therefore didn't give it to her

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**cheeky_biscuit** · 08-03-2012, 07:35pm

I wouldn't expect a thankyou letter off my 7th old niece fullstop, handwritten or not. A thankyou on the phone or in person is fine for me.

**Corette** · 08-03-2012, 07:36pm

We had D's 6th birthday recently and I got him to write his thank you notes if only his friends name and the thank you and to sign it! His grandmothers were delighted with the effort he made!

**Fiz** · 08-03-2012, 07:40pm

Whenever we've received gift-wrapped items from Amazon, the only paperwork that says what the gift is is inside an envelope marked don't open!

I don't think it matters who writes the thank-you note. Did you ask your SIL to wrap it?

**Lilybett** · 08-03-2012, 07:41pm

L wrote all her own thank you letters to family and close friends for her 6th birthday. It took 'forever'

but she wanted to. Having said that, I don't think it would bother me personally if I didn't receive a hand-written thank you from a 6-7 year old

**Duckie** · 08-03-2012, 07:44pm

Originally Posted by cheeky_biscuit

I wouldn't expect a thankyou letter off my 7th old niece fullstop, handwritten or not. A thankyou on the phone or in person is fine for me.

Ah, but they've set the precedent there (I forgot to mention) in being absolutely religious about thank you letters, sent soon after every birthday and Xmas - if they'd ever been lax about sending them it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. K has written/attempted to write when she was too young to write properly for a few years now.

There's a bit of history between our family and theirs since last Xmas (14m ago) and we've not spoken much since but they live along way away and DH is notoriously crap at keeping in touch with either of his brothers or sister anyway. All that was written in the letter was 'Dear X, X, X, and X, thank you very much for my Sylvanian Families polar bear family. I had a lovely time on my birthday. love from K'.

Not even a mention of liking the gift or anything. I just think it's a bit strange she didn't write it herself considering she has in the past.

**Duckie** · 08-03-2012, 07:47pm

Originally Posted by Fiz

I don't think it matters who writes the thank-you note. Did you ask your SIL to wrap it?

I texted her to apologise for being crap and asked her to wrap it - she didn't reply to there is the possibility she didn't get it I guess. I do appreciate that SIL wrote the thank you letter but just a bit miffed that K didn't do it herself - I expect my 5yo to write/attempt to write her own now.

**Damsella** · 08-03-2012, 07:48pm

Well, probably, but I'd also be delighted if the mother took the trouble instead.

Perhaps the daughter isn't well, perhaps she's very tired from school, perhaps the mother can't face the fight to get the letter written, you don't know what's going on.

**Damsella** · 08-03-2012, 07:50pm

Originally Posted by Duckie

I texted her to apologise for being crap and asked her to wrap it - .

So hang on a minute - you didn't manage to wrap the present yourself, and now you are criticising your seven year old niece for not writing the thank you letter herself? Hilarious!

**Fiz** · 08-03-2012, 07:54pm

I think you might be reading a bit much into this tbh, possibly because of whatever happened the other Christmas but if you are really worried, could you call or email your SIL?