Forever Photo

What to write

What to write in a graduation letter to your grandchild

Most people get stuck on the first line. Skip it. Answer these four questions in your own words, and the letter is mostly written.

Write a graduation letter with these questions

Your first three keepsakes are free. After that, plans from $4.99, paid once. See pricing

A graduate in his gown on the college lawn, reading on his phone with a wide grin

Four questions to start from

  1. 1Tell me about your grandchild.Anything at all. What your grandchild is like, or something you remember.
  2. 2What did it take your grandchild to get here?The hard year, the subject nobody liked, the late nights.
  3. 3What do you hope your grandchild does next?Not advice. Just what you hope for.
  4. 4Anything else you want to say?Stop when you’re ready.

Watch Ruth write one on her phone

She answers the questions, and Forever Photo writes the first draft. Press Play to hear it with sound.

0:00 / 1:24

A sample letter

Maya,

Your grandmother says I’m not allowed to make this long, so here goes.

You failed chemistry the first time. You called me from the bus stop and I didn’t know what to say, so I told you about the time I got fired from the paper mill. That wasn’t much help. You took it again that summer and got a B, and you texted me a picture of the paper. It’s still on the fridge under the Tigers magnet.

You always had the brains. That summer was the hard part. You went back in.

I hope you find work you don’t mind on a Monday. I hope you call your mother more than you call me. You won’t.

Grandpa

Write a graduation letter with these questions

The same questions, one at a time. The letter arrives on graduation morning.

Your first three keepsakes are free. After that, plans from $4.99, paid once. See pricing