What do I say? How do I begin? What should I ask?
All questions that run through your mind the first time you write to the newest member of your family. Developing a meaningful long-distance relationship through letters with 5- to 10-year-olds isn’t very complicated at first.
Tell them you love them, tell them God loves them, tell them you are proud of them. Send them stickers, coloring pages, and photographs of your family. Repeat often!
But as any parent knows, as those little ones develop into teenagers and young adults, your communication style needs to change.
Yes, we still need to tell them we love them, God loves them, and we are proud of them. Sometimes, in some cultures, a sponsor is the first person to tell a sponsored child that he or she is loved. We can combat the lies of poverty with our words every time we write to our sponsored children.
However, in addition to the letters, many sponsors want to know what is appropriate to mail to their older sponsored children.
So this month, we are launching a new Pinterest board we hope you all will enjoy: Letter Writing to Teens.
It’s filled with inspiration and ideas on how to write letters to teenagers. A few examples:
- Start your new communication style with this simple guide: How To: Write an Encouraging Note to a Teenager.
- If you get stuck for ideas on what to write, you can use one of these 80 Letter-Writing Prompts to get you started.
- Want to get a little more creative? Tell your teen how thankful you are that he or she is a part of your life and make one of these fun bookmarks to send along as a keepsake.
- Does your sponsored teen like to draw? Use this drawing challenge as a way to interact with your sponsored child. Maybe you can send some of your drawings in a letter, too!
- Encourage your sponsored teen by teaming up for a 30-Day Scripture Writing Challenge.
One thing we need to remember as our sponsored children grow older is that they still appreciate the letters.
Don’t believe me? Listen to these Compassion alumni as they share letter-writing advice and how much they still appreciate what their sponsors wrote.
Follow the Letter Writing to Teens board on Pinterest for more inspiration for your letters!
Want to help us find more ideas for mailing to our older sponsored children? Be sure to follow us on Pinterest and ask to become a member of our Second Friday Letter Writing Club board. Many sponsors are helping us find great ideas each month!