Q: My daughter struggles with writing. Is it OK to write her Valentines?

Skills

To get your daughter excited about writing her Valentines, let her choose cards that she really likes. You can also let her pick out fun stickers to put on the cards and a special pen to sign them with. Because your daughter struggles with writing, you want to start with something you know she will be successful at, so begin by having her write her name on the bottom of each Valentine. After she has signed all the cards, work on addressing the Valentines together. If she struggles with writing her classmate’s names on the cards, write them in pencil and have her trace the letters (you can always erase the pencil marks after she is done). To make the task seem less overwhelming, have your daughter sign a few cards a day rather than asking her to sign them all at once. If she becomes frustrated or upset at any point, put the cards away and try again the next day.
Jennie Ito, Ph.D.

Child Development Expert

Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.