The Art of The Thank You

Have you ever noticed that in this day and age, the art of the "thank you" has disappeared?  When my brother and I were kids our parents drilled it through our heads that saying as well as showing thanks was important.  Whenever a relative sent us a birthday card with any amount of money in it, we were required by my parents to call that relative on the phone and thank them personally.  Sometimes that was a little uncomfortable with some of my mom's many aunts who we didn't know very well, but a necessity none the less.

I require my children to do the same.  While it may not always be an actual phone call (different time zones, etc.) but they are required to thank the person who sent them something or gave them a present.  If they don't make a phone call, they are required to write a thank you to that person.  For Kendall, her thank you's are just scribbles on the card, but it's the thought that counts.

When someone gives me something or even hands something down to me for my kids, I thank them in person and again through an email or FB post.  Just to make sure that person knows how grateful I am.  I am glad that my mom has taught me the art of the "thank you" so that I can pass it down to my children.  Whenever we leave someone's house after a visit, I make sure to write a thank you in some form to let them know I appreciated their hospitality.

I'm not saying that I'm perfect at this task and that I have never gotten busy with life and forgotten to do the extra thank you, but I try to make it a habit to do it right away...now I have to go finish writing the thank you letters to all the companies that made prize donations to the kids' school for their Jog-A-Thon!