How To Start Your Kids Off For Success With Journaling

Journaling is such a great habit for your kids. In the moment, it allows them to process an event and the emotions that go along with it. In the future, it let's them remember the feelings and even things that they may have otherwise forgotten. It's also a discipline in consistency and helps them learn handwriting and communication skills. I could keep going with the many benefits of journaling but how to you start your kids off on this (hopefully) life-long habit?

At the beginning, you're doing most of the work for them. You can start as soon as they are old enough to talk and actually communicate thoughts in sentences. Ask them about their day and write down what they tell you. When they tell you about something they did, ask them how it made them feel. This gets them used to examining their feelings. When they are done, let them draw a picture next to what you wrote about something they told you. (An added benefit of journaling like this is that they have your handwriting preserved.)

As they get older, start having them write more and more of the entry until they are doing it all on their own. Once they have taken it over, don't require journaling to be a daily task, but instead encourage them to write when they have things to say. If you know they did something fun or had something hard happen, ask them if they wrote about it yet. Encourage them to process things and emotions in their journal, not just recording facts.

We all know that kids copy what they see, so if you journal, let them see you doing it. If you don't journal, I would encourage you to try it! I really believe it will bless you, in addition to being a great example for your kids.

There is no "right way" to journal. I've gone months between entries and there have been seasons where I wrote something every day. There is no "proper journal". Loose paper in a binder, a college-ruled notebook, a cloth-bound book... there are so many options. Pick what works for you. There are even prompt journals, which are a great way to ease into jounraling if you've never tried it before.

My great-grandmother journaled and we have those now. She was born in 1923 so just imagine what insights are contained in those books. My granddad journaled as an adult (his mother's journals are what we have) and my oma (his wife) has tried to journal for years with varied success but she gave me my first journal. I've even gotten my mom journaling! These books of your thoughts will be precious to future generations but they will also be treasures to you because you can look back and remember.

Are you a journaler? What tips would you tell people who want to try it?