On keeping a journal — for Kids!

This week we feature Kathryn from Thats-Life! She is an amazing Real Mom of 4 kids who is dedicated to making life cheerful, memorable, and happy. I loved this post of hers and she agreed to share it today.

I am a believer in the journal. I love looking at my old journals from my childhood...the cutest pictures and a list of my friends and another list of words I could read and write. I have tons of notebooks and official journals and little notes here and there. My sixth grade journal, pink with a clasp, mostly documents what I had to eat that day. Not too important but I think it says something about me and maybe someday someone will figure out exactly what that is.

Anyway, the point of all of this, is I want my kids to love tracking their life as much as I do! I have encountered some resistance, however. Jack hates to write so we decided he could type his out. We generally do this on Sundays, and while I would try to check on what they wrote, I didn't always get to. One day I decided to print out his journal and I found things like, "I turned ten. It was fun." Not exactly what I had hoped for.

I have been having an idea for a while and finally tried it out a few Sunday's ago. It's working so far so I thought I'd share. As with most of my parenting ideas, they may or may not work for you, and they may or may not even be working for me by the time this gets posted! Though I hope so.

I came up with (are you ready for this!?)...

the journal form.

I type out the events, and they put in the feelings and extra stuff! Usually I can just write one and make minor changes before I print them out. The boys happen to have the same BB team name making it even easier! The girls page had more stuff about their dance recital.

Example:

They can even draw pictures on the front or back which is highly encouraged. It's a little more work for me but not too bad. At least we're all happy with the new situation and with 1:00 church we have time to do this kind of stuff! I made them journal binders for 2010 Christmas and now we can fill them up!

Some of their artwork makes it into the book, as well as tickets and programs from places we've gone, awards from school, and even a note from dad (rare!).

We have a family binder too...it's so nice just to hole punch whatever and throw it in. Makes you feel like you are at least doing something towards the efforts of family history. I kept our map of Yellowstone showing all the places we spotted bears...

Someday we'll look back at this and be glad we have it. And someday, they'll thank me!