Letter to my daughter.
What I’d like her to know, on the day she needs it.
A letter to my daughter is a safe place for the words you never seem to find the moment to say: how proud you are of her, what you’ve learnt watching her grow up, what you hope for her life. You can write it today and choose when she’ll read it: on her 18th birthday, at her graduation, on the day she becomes a mum.
Why write to her now
Daughters grow up fast, and every age brings different questions.
She asks you why the sky is blue.
She asks you to leave her alone.
She rings to ask how you make your shepherd’s pie.
A letter written today can answer questions she hasn’t asked you yet. And it can arrive just when she needs it: on a day she doubts herself, on her first day in a new job, the night before a big step.
The words you write today will be waiting for her.
How to write a letter to your daughter
Five tips to get you started, even if you don’t think of yourself as a writer.
- Write to her exactly as you’d talk to her. There’s no need for a solemn tone. If you usually call her “poppet”, call her that in the letter too.
- Tell her what she was like as a little girl. Her first words, her funny little habits, her fear of the dark: these are memories only you hold.
- Tell her what you admire about her. Not just what she’s good at, but who she is: her courage, her sense of humour, the way she stands up for her friends.
- Make room for your own mistakes. Tell her about a time you got it wrong and what you learnt. It’ll make her feel freer to get things wrong in turn.
- Choose the moment she’ll read it. At 18, at graduation, on her wedding day: a letter means something different depending on when it arrives.
Where to begin: 6 opening lines
Pick the line that sounds most like you and let the rest come by itself.
Short notes for your daughter
Two lines can stay with her for years. Here are a few, sorted by moment: use them as they are or make them your own.
For their birthday
- “Every year you become a little more yourself. It’s the loveliest present you could give me.”
- “Happy birthday, my little grown-up girl. The world’s a lovelier place since you’ve been in it.”
For their 18th birthday
- “Now fly. But remember, there’s always a place to land right here.”
- “Eighteen years ago, you arrived, and everything made more sense.”
For their graduation
- “Today we’re celebrating what you’ve achieved. And I’m celebrating the person you’ve become along the way.”
- “Never stop being curious.”
When she gets married
- “You’re starting a new chapter. But the first one will always be a little bit ours.”
- “May your love be a home, and ours a door that’s always open.”
When she becomes a mum
- “Now you know how I felt the first time I held you in my arms.”
- “You’ll be a wonderful mum.”
For an ordinary day
- “No special occasion. I just wanted to remind you how much I love you.”
- “Whenever you doubt yourself, read this again: I never had any doubts.”
A letter from a mum to her daughter
Some letters come from a tiny moment: an afternoon in the kitchen, a funny question, a look. Those are the ones that move us most, years later.
Here’s an example, written by a mum for the day her daughter moves into her own place. If you’re writing to a son, you’ll find more ideas in the guide Letter to my son.
Dear Sophie,
you’re sitting on the floor in front of the oven, watching the biscuits rise. You asked me if you’d grow like that too, little by little, without noticing. I said yes.
Now, as you read these words, you have a home all of your own. Maybe you don’t know where the wooden spoon goes yet, and that’s absolutely fine.
I wish you a kitchen full of friends, bad days that end well, and the courage to say no when something doesn’t feel like you.
And if one evening you miss home, call me. We’ll bake the biscuits together, even over the phone.
Mum
Not just words
A letter can take many forms. Sometimes it’s a sound, a picture, a taste.
- Your voice.The lullaby you used to sing her, recorded with the same wrong words as back then.
- A video.The day she learnt to ride a bike, with you running along behind.
- A recipe.The Sunday biscuits, with the right amounts and the secrets you never wrote down.
- A photo.And a couple of lines about what you can’t see: what you’d just been doing, what you’d said to each other.
- A list.Ten things you’ve learnt in life and would like her to know sooner than you did.
- Some advice about love.What you wish someone had told you, at her age.
Make it arrive at the right moment
A letter written today deserves to arrive on the right day, not by chance at the back of a drawer. With Erabox, it takes just three steps.
Write or record
Text, voice, video, photos, a recipe: everything you’d like to leave her.
Choose who will receive it
Your daughter doesn’t need to sign up or download anything: she’ll receive a personal, secure link.
Choose the moment
Her 18th birthday, her graduation, her wedding, the birth of a child, or a date that’s just yours.
Erabox keeps your words safe on servers in Switzerland and delivers them on exactly the day you chose, even many years from now.
A letter to your daughter: frequently asked questions
Can’t find your answer? Write to us via Help.
Other words, for other moments
Some words wait for the right moment.
You can choose it.
Write your letter today. Your daughter will read it on the day that matters.