Journaling Together as a Family
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Create Lasting Memories with a Family Journal
Journaling together as a family is a wonderful way to share your feelings throughout the years, and it also lets everyone share their memories as events happen. This simple family activity lets you create an heirloom memory book that can be passed down from one generation to the next. Here are some tips you can use to begin a family journal and create your own memory book to treasure for years to come.
Select a Journal that’s Right for Your Family
When selecting the journal for your family’s memory book, you’ll want to balance aesthetics with functionality. A beautiful leather-bound journal is perfect for passing down through the years, but some families might be intimidated by blank pages in the beginning. A guided journal with prompts might be the better choice for a family just beginning to journal. Some journals are refillable, so you can continue your family’s story over time. You can always create more than one memory book, so don’t be afraid to try out a few different formats. Don’t forget to pick out fun pens for journaling to add to the experience too!
Add Journaling to the Bedtime Routine
Having the family share memories in the journal at bedtime creates a fun and sweet tradition in your home. It’s a way to recount the events of the day, good or bad, while the memories are still fresh. Make sure everyone knows that no detail or memory is too small. One day, years from now, the act of running to the store to buy milk or having cereal for dinner will become a treasured memory. Younger kids can dictate their journal entries to you but challenge them to draw a picture or write any words they are able to spell so they can become active participants in the journal. A gratitude journal can be a great option for your children’s bedtime routine.
Write Letters to Your Family
Parents can use a family memory book as an opportunity to write short letters to the kids. An entry letting them know how proud you are of a school concert performance or even learning how to tie their shoes adds your unique perspective to the journal. When your little ones are old enough, they can add in letters to you as part of their journaling routine. These messages back and forth can become a unique conversation back and forth that continues through the years, and they can also bring great comfort in times of grief and loss.
Share the Bad Days Too
Social media has trained us to curate our moments, focusing on the best times and editing our memories. However, it’s important to remember that we have bad days too. Journaling about both the good and the bad helps everyone process their feelings, and it can also give perspective as time passes. Let kids write about their big feelings, even if they’re upset over things you think aren’t important. You can also write about your bad days so your kids understand they happen to everyone.
Read Your Memory Keepsake Book Regularly
The family journal isn’t a time capsule. Reading it regularly keeps the memories of all your family activities alive. Without writing them down, you might forget about a fun trip to the park or a visit to the zoo. The years our kids are young go by fast, and reliving those little moments can help parents cope as their babies stop being babies. You can even highlight pages to read at family birthdays, holidays, or other special events to keep old memories fresh in everyone’s minds. Your family journals truly tell the story of each person living in your home.
Give Out Individual Journals
The family journal is for everyone to share, but it also encourages your kids to share their thoughts and feelings in their own private journals too. Let them know their personal journals are for their eyes only. This gives them a way to work out their feelings and create their own record of life’s little moments. As your kids get older, they might have fun comparing their private journal and the family journal to see how the stories match up.
Keep your family journal in a place where everyone has access and tell the story of your household, one day at a time! Once you’ve established a routine of journaling together, it will become a fun and positive habit.
