RTR Cares Kids For Kids Program Card Suggestions….
Thanks for making a difference to a child through RTR Cares!
By sending a get-well card to a child in hospital, you and your school can make a
huge difference in their life! Your message of caring can cheer a hospitalized kid,
and give them inspiration.
In order to give some guidance, we have put together the below, please review
this, and consider these tips. Remember that while some kids may be recovering
from relatively simple problems, others are terminally ill and will not recover. So
wording is very important. We also encourage each school or program to review
what to write. Also to review any questions etc. with their school psychologist or
mental health professional.
Things to Keep in Mind
Since some chronically ill children may never recover, be careful about how they
word the "get-well" message. In fact, your card should aim to cheer-up the child
without actually saying "get well soon". Instead, "Thinking of You" and
"Friendship" cards convey the spirit of "get-well soon" without raising false hope
in children who may never get better.
Be considerate of the child's personal interests when writing your card. Most kids
like, music, movies, computers (and such favourite cartoon characters, hobbies,
etc.), that you can use to create a personalized message. Knowing that you share
an interest with them, can make a hospitalized child feel special and loved.
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Also keep in mind that laughter truly can be the best medicine for any ill child.
Keep your message light and cheerful. Jokes are always fun for children. There are
many appropriate children's jokes on Aha Jokes.
Finally, all get-well greetings must be sent through postal mail. For now Ecards are
not accepted
What to Write in Your Card
If you're not sure what to write in your card, here's a sample greeting that you
can edit/use:
Hello!
I just wanted to say hello from [City and State]. I am wishing you a day full of great
big smiles and bright blue skies. I would like to share a funny joke with you:
(insert riddle, knock-knock joke, or other clean joke here)
I hope you thought this was funny. I sure did!
Have a wonderful day!
Sincerely yours, (Your First and Last Name)
Here are some other suggestions…..
1) Hand-stamped, computer made, or purchased cards are all fine.
2) Confetti can be messy for the recipient, though it's fun for the sender. We
don't recommend putting it into cards.
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3) * IMPORTANT NOTE: We try to make cards the same, and close to the same
size. Don’t send any tapes, crayons…..It would be inappropriate to mail a
book on tape to a deaf child or crayons to a child without use of their
hands. Please write on the envelop the age of the kids the cards target. We
suggest having cards made for the same age as your class kids.
4) Happy mail only, please! We like to send RTR cards that say things like
"Thinking of You," "You're special," or "Hope you're having a great day"
etc. We do not send "Get Well" cards because some of our kids will not get
well. Everything sent to our kids should be positive. Please do not say
anything that could upset a child or a parent. For instance, do not write
about inappropriate topics, such as the prognosis of the child. It's not
appropriate to say, "I was sorry to hear the bad news," etc. Remember that
the goal of each message is to bring JOY to the child.
5) Write to the kids about what you or the class enjoys doing - working in your
garden, sports, music etc. Send them photos of yourself and your own
children or drawings by your kids.
6) You may wish to enclose with your card something lightweight such as
stickers, coloring sheets, a postcard, a bookmark, etc.
7) You can also send larger packages, if you wish, which include toys and
larger objects
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8) When signing your notes, most people usually put their full name, and their
email address. Parents appreciate the email addresses so they can thank
the class personally, if they have the time.
Thanks so much for participating in the program, if you know of any other schools
that want to help, let us know. We want to encourage kids to help each other and
learn the importance of finding meaning in helping others.
We are actively seeking a postage sponsor as well for the shipment of materials to
RTR offices. If you know of anyone please contact us at
[email protected]
Thanks !
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