New parents are reading this on a phone, one-handed, on very little sleep. That is the constraint everything in this set is written around. Warmth is welcome; length is not. The messages here carry the feeling in one or two sentences and then stop, because the longest, most beautifully constructed note is the one that gets left unread in a notification list.
They also avoid two things deliberately. There is no advice — every new parent is already receiving more of it than they can use. And there is no assumption about how it is going, because the honest answer in the first weeks is often "hard", and a message that assumes bliss is one more thing to perform a response to.
If you are a colleague rather than a close friend, these still work; warmth from work is not out of place here. What is out of place is anything that needs a reply. Nothing in this set asks a question.
“Welcome to the world to your sweet new arrival! Wishing your family gentle days, restorative quiet moments, and endless wonder as you get to know each other. Please let us know whenever we can drop off dinner or lend a hand.”
“Congratulations, both of you. I am dropping food round on Thursday and will leave it on the step unless you want company, in which case say so and I will stay exactly as long as you like.”
“Congratulations on number two. You already know everything I could usefully say, so instead: the offer of taking the older one out for an afternoon stands, permanently, from now on.”
“Congratulations. This family took paperwork, patience and a great deal of waiting, and it is here now. Wishing you all a gentle first few months of getting to know each other.”
“Congratulations. People will ask about her for the next six months and forget to ask about you, so: how are you doing? Genuinely pleased for you both.”
“Congratulations to you and your family. Nothing here needs you, nothing here will need you, and we will still be doing broadly the same things whenever you come back. Enjoy every part of it.”
“Welcome back, and congratulations again. Take the first fortnight at whatever pace suits you. Everything has moved on a bit and none of it is urgent enough to explain today.”
“Congratulations, both of you. Watching you become parents has been its own kind of pleasure, quite separate from meeting this small person. We are on the end of the phone at any hour you like.”
“Congratulations. Your leave starts properly the moment you close the laptop, and I do not want to hear from you during it. Everything is covered. Go and enjoy your family.”
“Congratulations to you both. We are not expecting to hear from you for a while and that is entirely right. When you want food, company or someone to hold the baby while you shower, say the word.”
“Congratulations, both of you. The first months are wonderful and also genuinely hard, and I would rather say so than pretend otherwise. Call at any hour, about anything, including nothing.”
“Congratulations to you and your family. Everything is covered and none of it needs you. Enjoy the leave properly, and we will catch you up on absolutely nothing important when you are back.”
“Welcome back. We will build the first month around what actually works rather than what the policy says, so tell me early if the shape is wrong. Congratulations again.”
“There are four generations of us now, which is not something many families get to say out loud. Congratulations to you both. Bring them to see us whenever you are able, and not before.”
“Congratulations. Everything of yours is picked up, written down and covered, so the only thing left on your list is the obvious one. Enjoy it, and take every day you are entitled to.”
“Congratulations to you both. The offer, which is entirely serious, is that we take a night whenever you want one. No notice required and no explanation expected.”
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