"GENTLE READER: What house were you in? Sorry, just a little joke from a school where they learn to avoid that tedious conversation by answering Where did you go to college? with In the northeast. But your questioners are also asking about test scores? Miss Manners would be unable to resist asking incredulously, Do you even remember your old test scores? And if they say yes, you can say, Well, you must be really smart. Without adding and must not have a life."
"With a written note, certainly a parent must stamp and address it, and perhaps hover over the child to inspire them to write. But the results are a delight for both receiver (sweet childish notes, misspellings and all!) and sender (learning to express thankfulness). With an e-card, one wonders if the child had any role at all, and if so, what they learned from it."
Many people face intrusive questions about college, grades and test scores from new acquaintances. Personal academic data can feel private, and answering yes-or-no queries risks appearing boastful or dishonest. A light, deflecting reply or a brief non-disclosing answer preserves privacy and avoids rudeness. Teaching children to write handwritten thank-you notes requires parental guidance like stamping, addressing and prompting and yields heartfelt, developmental learning for both sender and receiver. E-cards prompt concern about the child’s active participation and the lesson in expressing gratitude. Generational differences affect whether emailed thanks suffice for mailed gifts.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]