Get Them Writing

Many Benefits, for Them and for You

Looking for a way to give your grandkids a step up academically and boost their self-esteem? Get them writing. Many educators and parents fear that writing well is becoming a lost art. According to the federal government's latest National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as "the nation's report card," only 33 percent of the country's eighth-graders are proficient in writing. Inspiring your grandchildren to put words to paper — starting when they are young — will help them get ahead and give you some priceless keepsakes. Here are five ways to get started:

1. Sending Letters

Kids love getting mail, and sending letters to your grandchildren (when they are away) is a great way to prompt them to write. You can encourage them to write back to you by including a self-addressed stamped envelope or postcard with your note. Fun stationery can also motivate them.

2. Let Them Set the Agenda

Invite your grandchildren to run some errands with you. (You can assure them that there will be treats involved.) Before going out, have the kids help you come up a list of tasks for the day, but make them responsible for writing everything down. As you finish each task, give the children the satisfaction of crossing it off of the list.

3. Make Them Your Travel Diarists

When the family goes on vacation, encourage the children to keep travel journals they can share when they return.  Give your grandchildren writing prompts before they leave, like "Did you see anything historical?" or "What was the best thing you ate?" The website Lucy Travels offers tons of writing prompts that are sure to get a child's creative juices flowing. Younger kids who aren't ready to maintain a journal may be able to write captions for photos from their trip.

4. Help Them Become Family Historians

Ask your grandchildren to work on a family history with you by interviewing other relatives about their memories. You can ask older children to think of questions before each visit, then record their subjects' answers and work with you to type up the responses. They can also transcribe your own memories of late relatives. "The older they are, the more you can lean on them to produce a fair amount of it," says Celia Webb of children's book publisher Pilinut Press. "If you are working with a teenager they can do all the writing."

5. Teach Them to Say Thanks in Writing

Encourage grandchildren to send thank-you notes whenever they receive birthday or holiday gifts. Urge kids to come up with a special, personal message for each card, including the name of the gift they received, and what they liked most about it. If the present was monetary, or a gift card, ask them to mention how they plan to spend it.

 

Source: Grandparents.com, 5 Ways to Get Grandchildren Writing by Jessica Jones