As our children grow older, many parents fear losing that connection with them because they become more and more independent and no longer need us as much. The relationship with our children is something that lasts forever, but we must stimulate and encourage it through different activities that suit our tastes.
We can do a lot of things to achieve this: play, cook together, teach them something, sing, among others. But there are also times when we want to connect more deeply and share activities and thoughts, goals, and fears. Your child not only needs to be talked to but also to be listened to.
Benefits of Journaling
Writing in a journal is something that has many positive effects; it is an activity usually related to adolescence, but it is something that can be done at any age. It helps us stimulate creativity, organize our thoughts, improve our memory, know ourselves better, and even helps us with our mental and physical health.
Journaling is a tool you can use with your child to connect, get closer, feel more comfortable with each other sharing ideas and expressing your thoughts and feelings. Moreover, as it is an exercise in which they can express themselves freely, it gives a lot of value to everything they have to say, thus encouraging and building their self-esteem.
It is also an incredible tool to set goals and work together to achieve them, whether it is building something together, going somewhere, or learning something new. Having a shared journal is the perfect tool to get the most out of the time you spend with your child.
How do I make a shared journal with my child?
Since it is an exercise to practice together, decisions should also be made together.
Purpose of the journal: First, you should start by finding a purpose for the journal, what you want to achieve with it. This is a very important step because it will define how all the planned activities will go.
Type of journal: decide the kind of journal we want depending on the purpose we will give it. It can be a daily, weekly, or monthly diary. We will write down the positive and negative aspects of the activities carried out as the days go by.
Buying or making our diary: this part is a lot of fun because you can resort to crafts and create your personalized diary, or if you prefer, you can buy one that suits your and your children’s taste.
Set goals and start writing: now that you have your journal, it’s time to start filling it. You can make it more fun by putting stickers or drawings to highlight the most important moments.
Now you will have something beautiful to treasure for the rest of your life as you build a close and deep relationship with your child. Make the time you spend together something genuine and full of lessons for both of you. Happy writing!