Monday, January 16, 2012

Day 224... Parent/Kid Journals

The fact is we are getting to a point with our kids where communication is getting tougher and tougher. Kenna is turning 12 and the boys are going on 11.  Things are just  not as easy as they once were. I saw this idea  of a communication journal on Pinterest.. HMM??? Could it work?? Maybe this could be interesting. We could maybe laugh a little and communicate in addition to our normal talking and conversations. How could it not be a win/win??  I write/draw something they write/draw something back.  I decided to give it a try.

Kroger had a buy one get one sale last week on journals.  I took it as a sign that maybe now was the time to try this idea. It took about 30 minutes to make each journal sign/cover. I picked different things for each of them and then , because I want this to be long term, covered the front with tape to protect and preserve. I made sure each child had their favorite things and tried to make it fun and personal for them. 


  
Here are our new journals!!

Carson loved his blue journal. On the other side it says Mom/Me.  One side is for dad the other for mom. 


My team.. Can't wait to see what we do with these books/journals! If tonight is any indication it will be a fun adventure!! They love new ideas and things to do!!

They immediately wanted to answer the things I had asked. This shocked me a little. I thought they might treat it more like a diary and want privacy.  I figured they would take it to their rooms and I might see half of them come back. Not the case. They sat at the table and worked on them. Then they gave them to me and headed to bed. Maybe it will be a new quiet activity prior to bed???
Tonight is only day 1 so I don't know if this idea will be a great one or not. Here is what I can say...

Day 1: Things they recorded back to me in their journals.

 A Word Find Puzzle that was made/designed for me.
A question asking me if I knew what happened to the inaugural gown after the First Lady wore it?
 A plan of how someone was going to spend future money. 
Notice that there would soon be a future Princess Sleepover invitation arriving.


 I loved their responses and enthusiasm for day 1.

 It would be worth the $1.50 investment that I made on each journal just for the answers I got today.  I can't begin to imagine what the journal might hold a month or two or six from now.

 I have a feeling it will be priceless!! 

*** I have the journal as one side mom/ the other side dad. I figure that somewhere along the line we will meet in the middle. Isn't that the way it is supposed to be.. 

2 comments:

  1. I have a journal with the older two, just an informal communication ing. Sometimes months will go by, but then the journal will appear on my bed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. These may end up not being a DAILY thing just more of an every so often?? I like the idea of them and hope the kids will continue to write in them.

    ReplyDelete