Parenting Letters

Elizabeth Levin is a professor of psychology at Laurentian University.

This book consists of a collection of postcard-size letters written by
parents to children. Each of the 40 letters, which are printed and
designed on heavy stock, can be torn out of the book and given to a
child. The rationale behind the collection is that parents sometimes
need help in communicating with their children, and the letters can a
useful aid. The letters can be hidden in a lunch bag or left on a desk
for the child to read. The parent(s) and child can later talk about
them, or not.

The collection explores a variety of themes. One letter, for example,
attempts a humorous explanation of various household objects, such as
the “off” position of the light switch. Another cheers on a
successful athlete. Others talk about such painful subjects as divorce
and the death of a loved one. Some of the letters talk about relations
between people, discussing such things as fighting, trust, who’s the
boss, and responsibility. Many are about the parent’s love for the
child. Letters for younger children offer messages like “You are such
a neat person. I’m so glad you’re my kid”; and for
teens—“You’ve heard us say, often enough, that this should be the
best time of your life.”

In many ways, the book is like having a collection of Hallmark cards at
your disposal. What worked for the author using her own original
letters, however, may not be as successful in this prepared format—the
message may be less meaningful if it is just torn from a book. It seems
unlikely that one would use all the letters, so just buy a card instead
when you really need one or better yet, write your own letter.