by Angela S. Young

Created on: May 07, 2009

You never know how much a card from someone you love means until you lose that person. You treasure every card, but it's the ones with a message that are the real keepers. Just as a parent begins to document a child's growth through pictures from birth on, the birthday card is the perfect opportunity to document your love for your child or his/her achievements for the year.

Don't go too far overboard with the mushy stuff, but, on the other hand, don't allow intimidation to keep you from expressing your emotions on your child's birthday card. They may not appreciate it as they receive it, but some day it will become a treasure. During those pre-teen to early teen years, kids often suffer from heightened embarrassment, but they'll learn to appreciate you later.

One way to do this is to plan from birth for your child's birthdays by keeping a small journal of milestones or events in the child's life which you can write about in his or her birthday card that year. A brief recap along with a brief sentiment will create a card your child will treasure.

Creating these birthday treasures will also give your child something to look back on his or her life and remember the things you share and the love you have for him or her. In the cards from the early years, especially, your child will enjoy looking back at his or her life and possibly comparing accomplishments with his or her own child's milestones.

As the child's accomplishments go from learning to walk to learning to drive a car, he or she will appreciate your thoughtfulness even more, looking forward to each year's card and its discoveries. The teen years can tear away a child's self-esteem, and a warm, thoughtful card from a parent can go a long way toward keeping the child on a firm foundation, a foundation of tradition and love.

Keep your card positive and uplifting, but let the child know how much he or she means to you. Consider the age and maturity of the child as you craft this special gift. Think about your unique child and what he or she needs most from you at this time, and keep the long-term perspective in mind along with the short-term objective. Also remember to change it up. You may feel the same each year, but try to find new words to express yourself so you don't wind up writing the same old stuff, taking away from the long-term meaning to your child.

Birthdays are the perfect opportunity to write a thoughtful, meaningful card for your child that they can appreciate at the time of the birthday and for years afterward.

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