Beverley Paine's Australian Home School Curriculum: Tips for Learning How to Read

Intergenerational Correspondence

© Beverley Paine, 2004

I immigrated to Australia at the age of four and the only way I knew my grandparents was through mum's regular letters 'home'. My children's grandparents moved interstate when they were little. It's hard to develop close friendships with relatives over such large distances, but it's worth the effort. Letter writing makes it easy.

I encouraged my children to send cards and postcards, as I remember how tedious it was to fill a whole page in a letter! By the time I was half way down the page I'd run out of things to say and my hand ached. It became a chore and I soon gave up wanting to write to my Gran. You can protect your children from this fate by developing frequent mail contact between your children and your parents.

You don't live have to live thousands of kilometres apart to be pen pals. Imagine the joy on your child's face when he receives a letter from Grandpop, even when Grandpop only lives three streets away. Nothing excites children more than mail addressed to them in the mail box. It may be a reminder note for a special occasion, or to ask your child to bring a particular book next time he visits. You can encourage your child to write similar notes to your parents, send home-made cards, anything that will strengthen the bond between them.

If the writing session is short and sweet your child may just end up spending all their pocket money in stamps!

Keeping in touch by letter writing is invaluable for those children who don't have regular access to their mum or dad or grandparents, especially in divorce situations where residual bitterness and animosity makes personal contact difficult. Parents and grandparents can always send letters and cards to encourage and develop relationships to thrive under trying circumstances. Even if the child does not reply, the mere fact that she or he receives mail will be helping them to develop reading skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives. And that's important.

photo of Beverley and Robin Paine Pioneering members of the home education movement in Australia, Beverley and Robin Paine are passionate advocates of true educational choice for families. They began homeschooling their children in 1986 and three years later started the South Australian Home Based Learners network. Beverley wrote Getting Started with Homeschooling in 1995-97 and since then continues to write books and booklets on home education. She balances spending time helping home educators with working in her garden and renovating her home, as well as continuing to build her collection of writing on a variety of homeschooling subjects. Beverley maintains an extensive collection of websites as well as several Yahoo groups supporting families teaching their children at home. In 2007 Beverley joined the HEA and became a committee member in 2008: she also edits and produce the HEA Newsletter, HEA magazine, Stepping Stones for Home Educators, annual Resource Directory and other HEA publications. If you'd like to keep in touch with what Beverley is up to her in her life, sign up for the Homeschool Australia Newsletter or visit her Homeschool AustraliaFacebook page.