PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – How long has it been since you received a thank you note from a child for a gift you gave? Odds are it’s been a while. Many people believe technology is to blame for the decline of this simple show of gratitude. But 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan finds that technology could also help fix that.

The Maso children know they are supposed to send out thank you’s when somebody sends them a gift. It doesn’t necessarily mean they like it.

Marly Maso says, “It’s not fun. It takes a lot of your time.”

But a new cell phone application lets you send a thank you note and photo on the spot. It’s called iGiftThanks and was created out of necessity by a mom of four named Ciaran Blumenfeld.

She says, “I would always be scrambling for a piece of wrapping paper and a crayon to somehow note who gave what before my kids tore into the next package. That little scrap of paper would end up on the bulletin board where I’d nag my kids for the next two weeks to finally get their thank you notes done.”

Blumenfeld assumed there would be an app to help. When she found it didn’t exist, she decided to make it herself.

She says, “iGiftThanks allows you to use your own photos to create instant thank you notes that you can send out via Facebook, Twitter or via email and it helps you also keep track of all of your gifts you receive.”

The children certainly prefer it.

Marly Maso says, “It makes it a lot easier.”

Even etiquette expert Constance Hoffman approves. She says, “What’s most important to remember is you do take the time whether written or verbal to give the thanks.”

The iGiftThanks app is currently only available through the Apple store and is $1.99. They are also working on adapting it for other phones in the future.

Reported by Jim Donovan, CBS 3