Birthday Letters on Your Children’s Birthdays

What:

Here at Parentfile, we’ve starting doing something for our own children that we call Birthday Letters. Every year on your children’s birthday, write them a letter chronicling the last year of their life (or if you have older children, what happened in the world and your own life). Funny stories, milestones, world events, and more. And then save them every year and give them to them at some point in the future (when they go to college, have their first baby, when they turn 50, or whenever you choose).

Why:

1. You don’t forget some of the magical details that happened that year
2. You feel like an amazing parent for starting this tradition
3. You are sitting on the “best gift ever” to give them someday that is so meaningful

How:

Ideally you do it on their birthday each year, but just get it started today by taking 30 minutes and writing a letter for whatever birthday was most recent. Cap yourself at 30 minutes and just see what you come up with - the key is simply starting the tradition. ****

Here is an example of a birthday letter our CEO wrote to his son on his 10th birthday. You can write a birthday letter to your child whether they are 4 or 40, it’s just as meaningful as you took the time to write it!

October 12, 2015
Happy 10th Birthday Charlie Bear!!!!!

I can’t believe you are 10. Incredible. I feel like it was just yesterday you were in your mommy’s tummy. And now, you are a big, strong, incredibly smart little (for not much longer) boy! And a great tennis player as well!

My favorite thing from this last year has been our morning tennis we play together before school. I know for certain that I will look back on this as one of, if not the number one, memory I cherish from your childhood. It is wonderful time together. From listening to Harry Potter on the drive to San Domenico, to talking about how annoying some people can be (wait until you have to work with people!), it is truly magical time.

You moved to a new school this year – San Domenico. And so far it seems truly awesome for you. Mom and I are so happy you are doing so well. You are incredibly smart, and that is already showing through in your classes. What an incredible environment to spend your days in, I’m so happy we found the school.

I also want to mention that you use Lola as your pillow every night. That dog loves you so incredibly much – I don’t know if you’ll ever have another dog like her in your life (mom says the same thing to me). She adores you and literally sleeps on your face every night – seriously. And she loves it, getting into your bed many nights even before you do!

You also continue to be a budding entrepreneur – the best story this year is when you had a lemonade stand while a babysitter was watching you. He made $60 for babysitting, and you made $100 from your lemonade stand! You should have seen his face when we returned home and paid him, and he joked that you made more than he did today – ha! You have an incredible entrepreneurial spirit in you, far more advanced than I ever had at your age, and I’m excited to see what comes of it. We’ll see how old you are when you ask me for your first investment! Regardless, I love it, and am very proud of you for your various entrepreneurial endeavors (Charlie’s Odd Jobs, Dos Bro Sports, Lemonade).

A couple of other things I fear might disappear this year, but I love that they still exist: holding hands walking into school, snuggling at night, birthdays at Benihana, me being better at tennis (I still may have a little longer on this one).

You certainly keep mom and I on our toes, and we love you for it. I’m so excited to see what a wonderful little boy you are turning into, and am exciting for what’s to come.

Love, Dad

Where to Save:

Save the letters in your Parentfile in My Children, Best Childhood Memories, Birthday Letters.

Make it Ongoing:

Add to your calendar on their birthday and recurring annually, to “Write a New Birthday Letter for xxx in My Parentfile.”