Your child’s “letter to himself” is a low-stress way for him to begin thinking about future goals and also spend some time reflecting on his life. This activity also provides an opportunity to talk about the future without all the urgency of SATs and college applications. Keep the letter he composed to his future self, and surprise him with it at graduation! He will delight in seeing how far he has come, and he will once again be able to evaluate his goals.
What You Need:
❑ Writing utensil
❑ Paper
❑ Envelope
What You Do:
- Before you begin, help your child brainstorm what he will write about. Ask him things such as: What are your current academic and social goals? What activities and people are important in your life? What are your current likes and dislikes? Where do you see yourself in 5 years, and what do you think you will be doing?
- Make your child compose the letter as if he is writing to himself in 5 years. He can add a little something extra by embellishing the letter with pictures or sketches, or simply adding these extras into the envelope.
- Make him read over the letter. When he feels that it’s complete, make him put it in an envelope and seal it.
- Put the letter away until his high school graduation and then encourage him to open it up to see how his goals have changed!
Use this letter-writing process as a way to talk to your child about what is important to him, and what he hopes to achieve in high school and beyond!
