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We are excited to give you the opportunity to WIN 1 of 12 Pencil cases filled with Frixion pens!

With the advancement of technology making fast inroads into family life, taking the time to hand write a greeting card or a lovely letter may seem a little old fashioned.  Many may opt for an email or electronic card, or even nothing at all, yet when it comes to Mother’s Day, a handwritten card or letter tops the list for the majority of mums, reveals a survey.

“We surveyed 1600 mums and 88 per cent said it was nice to think someone had taken the time to put pen to paper, with 68 per cent saying a handwritten card is much more personal than an email or text,” said Ms Barbara Oliver, marketing manager, Pilot Pen Australia.

Psychologist Ms Jocelyn Brewer says that while technology has many time-saving benefits in communicating quickly with others, taking the time out to sit down and handwrite a card or a letter sends a strong message to the recipient as it shows they are worth taking time for.

“Handwritten cards and notes have a stronger emotional value because of the personal effort and attention given to composing the sentiment and writing them.   The inherent ‘personality’ that shines through in a person’s handwriting also adds to its unique value,” she says.

Jocelyn says that occasions such as Mother’s Day offer a great opportunity for children to spend time practising their handwriting and letter writing skills and gaining much-needed confidence.

“Many children are used to pressing ‘delete’ or ‘autocorrect’ on a computer keyboard and so when have the opportunity to write with pen and paper, they lack the confidence to make a mistake.”

Jocelyn advises sitting with your child and practising handwriting skills to help build confidence and that learning to write involves a few key stages – scribbling, tracing, copying and then replication using memory, ie being able to recall what the letter looks like and replicate it from a mental image.

“Getting used to holding a pen or pencil and taking the time to learn in a relaxed and supportive home environment can be extremely beneficial,” she says.

Barbara Oliver said that Pilot Pen launched the Frixion range of erasable ink pens as part of the response to the fear of making mistakes when handwriting.

“Frixion has proved to be very popular amongst adults and children alike because it contains thermo-sensitive ink and a built-in eraser so you can rub out mistakes and start again,” said Ms Oliver.

This Mother’s Day, Pilot Pen is running a handmade Mother’s Day card competition.  All your child needs to do is to hand make a Mother’s Day card using their own handwritten greeting or words.  Your child can win a Frixion prize pack worth $40 each.  For further information, visit www.pilotpen.com.au.  The competition closes on 15 May.

Jocelyn Brewer is a psychologist and educator with fourteen years experience in private practice, teaching, child counselling and educational development.  Visit: www.jocelynbrewer.com.au.  For further information on Frixion, visit: www.pilotpen.com.au

Winners for this competition

1. R. MurchieQLD
2. D. HouriganNSW
3. E. VincentNSW
4. L. NelsonVIC
5. V. SmithNSW
6. S. PhillipsNSW
7. E. CoyneWA
8. N. WarnesQLD
9. A. O'DonnellVIC
10. L. SoransonQLD
11. L. Di BiasiVIC
12. H. WangNSW