Penpals and Kids

I was reminded recently that when I joined the girl guides, I was offered the opportunity to talk to other guides through letters sent back and forth. It was an opportunity to make new friends and to learn about how others live life in another country. This pen pal program was for those in India and England as well as here in Canada. So I got two interesting people to learn about.

We enjoyed writing back and forth. It definitely helped our writing skills and was interesting too. I still have those precious letters today after all those years. It reminded me how special that was when I was approached in the city where I now live to join a pen pal program with young kids in a local school. I agreed to do it and over the course of two years had two female students who sent me regular letters to tell me about themselves.

They were both 7 years old and the teacher running the program was their home room teacher. While the program is now over, I know why years ago it meant so much to me to be part of a similar program. Being a kid can be a little lonely sometimes and having someone to share your thoughts who is the same age ranks high. I was able to find out a few new things about myself and these girls broadened my horizons since I knew I could get along with others now and I was not so bad after all.

These are things kids need to know. Hearing how great you are from your parents is one thing. But it is not the same, they are supposed to support you. Other kids will tell you like it is. They can identify with all the same fears and concerns. Wouldn't it be great is we could bring that back to students today? I think it would help with learning English and might be a delightful new memory.