That is, if we can wait that long.
The idea came about when our second child arrived. I was sitting in front of the computer and started to think about our first born. What will he be like one day? Has he already formed a particular personality? What will his relationship with his sister be like in his early adult years?
My wife and I discussed this, and then I returned to the computer to write a letter for our son. It took place long enough ago that we have forgotten exactly what is contained in the missive. But we know we were honest with how happy we were to be given the chance to raise another human being, and what we thought our son would be like when he matures.
Basically, the letter "encapsulates" the thoughts of two people who have never done this parenting thing before. We of course wrote a similar letter for our daughter a few years later, putting down some personal thoughts on what she might be like when she gets older - and what she was like when she was young.
We plan to sit down individually, with each of our children, open the letter (I printed each one out - I wonder if a letter in an envelope will be a relic in and of itself by then!) and read it aloud.
Both letters are locked up in a security box in a filing cabinet.
I hope our children will be impressed. Maybe they will be surprised. Maybe mom and dad will be both.
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