The Very Best Birthday Gift

Birthdays for little ones are often filled with stuff. Lots of stuff. Toys and books and games (oh my!). And while the stuff makes them happy for the moment (or week, or month), few of the material gifts we give our kids are something treasured and valued for years (or in my house…hours).

For Breccan’s first birthday, I started the tradition of writing him a letter. I have done it every birthday for both him and Kai. I do it on the evening of their birthday, after everyone is asleep. I sit in bed, write, and usually cry (because my baby is a little less of a baby). I reflect on who they are, their little personality and all of their amazing qualities. I put it all in a letter. I don’t do this because it’s easy or because I have nothing else to do. I do it because I want both of my boys to know exactly what they were like at this age and most of all, how incredibly loved they are. My hope is that one day, I am able to give each of them a huge stack of these letters that they can treasure for years and share with their babies.

So, here’s my challenge to you. Write your kids a letter. You don’t have to like writing or even be good at it. It doesn’t even have to be a birthday letter. Just use your voice and put on paper how much you adore your kid. It’s that easy. They won’t care if it’s perfect or eloquent, it will be real and your voice and for that, they will love it.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Talk about their personality. Are they shy? Extroverted? Sassy? Caring? Tell a story that shows their personality. I love including direct quotes to include their voice.
• What are their interests? Favorite songs, books, shows?
• Talk about their growth and development. What can they do now that they couldn’t do last year?
• Talk about how they interact with and love their siblings or family members.
• If it’s a birthday letter, talk about how you celebrated their birthday! What kind of party? What was their favorite gift?
• Most important, talk about how much you love them. Explain exactly what you love most. I also always end their letters with an encouraging bible verse.

Let’s get writing!

xo,

Jenna