WFMW: Journeling with Kids

Well I finally figured out how to move that banner from Shannon's site. Yeah for me!

When Sweetie Heart was born 6 years ago, my sister-in-law suggested that I start a baby journal for her. You know just a journal recording her birth and the little events of her life. She told me it is a wonderful thing to be able to look back at. I agree, but at that time I was just too tired to write, not to mention the fact that I would have to go out and buy one. So I didn't do it. And the longer I didn't do it the more grand I thought it would need to be. Oh, and there was so much to catch up on.

Then I had Sweet Girl. Again I felt like I should do it, but much of the same was felt. Plus the guilt of not doing it with Sweetie Heart. But last winter I began to rethink it. I really felt it was a good idea. I want my kids to be journelers like Webby. I want them to record their thoughts and feelings to get them out and not keep them in like I did.

So I went to the dollar store and picked up a couple of journals. I picked the bigger size so that as they get bigger they can write in them, too. Webby and I write things in the journal to the girls so that they have a memory of things we experienced with them. Sweetie Heart can write so she records things in it now. We also use it as a conversation tool. Webby is in school a few nights a week and works at night, too, so Sweetie Heart can write him a note in her journal and leave it on his pillow for him to read when we gets home and he can to likewise for them. I feel like this is a good habit to get into young. That way when the teen years come we will still do it. I remember being a teenager and having questions but being to embarrassed to ask. With a journal it can take the embarrassment out of that. It also gives them power to ask to talk about something and me time to think about and prepare what to say.

Mostly, I just want to keep the lines of communication open even when it's not face to face. We encourage the kids to write what they feel and when they want a private journal we will purchase one for them. Webby and I also have one that we share for the same reasons. Sometimes it's just easier to write my feelings (positive and negative), many times we are able to work stuff out that way. Like with the kids, with Webby gone so much it allows me to express things to him when I don't see him or even during the day when I think about it. I put it on his pillow so he knows I wrote in it.

In the words of FlyLady, "You are not behind. You do not need to catch up. Pick up where you are." It's great advice for many areas of life.

Journeling is what works for me. To see what works for others go visit Rocks in My Dryer.