I love to write. I also love to read. I think it’s especially entertaining to read stuff I wrote in junior high and high school. It’s interesting to see my personality evolve, or not evolve in some cases. I also have this book my mom made me. It’s “My first book.” Inside the book are mementos from when I was a kid including my first dollar, a lock of my hair, notations about my friends and favorite songs, awards and pictures. It’s nothing fancy, but I love it. I love that my mom took the time to fill it out.
An important goal: a journal for your kids
I’ve made a goal to keep a diary for my girls. I have one for each of them and I try to write in them when I remember. I’ll admit that I don’t write in it nearly as often as I’d planned, but I think they’ll be fun for my girls to read when they get older. I write in them like I’m writing letters. I hope when they read it they read it in my voice.
Spencer W. Kimball said of journal writing, “Your journal is your autobiography, so it should be kept carefully. You are unique, and there may be incidents in your experience that are more noble and praiseworthy in their way than those recorded in any other life.” How interesting and beneficial would it be for your kids to have insights into parenting from experiences you had when they were little?
Keeping a journal for your little ones doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, but it should be meaningful. Here are a few fun, simple ways to journal for your kids:
Set a schedule: It can be a little overwhelming trying to write in their journals every single day. So, set aside some time on your least-busy day of the week to schedule in a writing session. Grab a cozy chair and relate important incidents from the week, funny quotes, memories etc. Try writing in letter form or even just creating a list of memories.
Keep a notebook handy: Carrying around a journal isn’t particularly practical, but small notebook will fit into your purse of bag just fine. If your little one says or does something particularly funny or you think of a story you want to share, make note of it in your book. When you pull out the journals later in the week, you’ll have ideas already written down.
Set up an email address: I hope I’m not the only one that types faster than I write… an email address is a fun way to journal for your kids. Simply send them an email address every week or whenever you think of it, and turn it over to them when they are 18 or heading off to college. It will provide them with hours of reading fun and it’s protected from damage and theft!
Get your kids involved: Have your little ones get involved in their own journal. They’ll enjoy looking back at their own entries and photos of things that happened when they were little and you’ll teach them a valuable life skill.
Do you have a journal for your kids?
Image: iStockPhoto
