Communication Journals

Looking for a great way to communicate with your child?  Try a communication journal!

This journal idea came from something that I started with one of my middle school classes.  As you can imagine, there is a lot of drama that happens at the middle school age.  There poor kids are in the midst of so much changing and so much going on.  Instead of wasting class time talking about issues that really did not pertain to what I was teaching, I had a notebook that allowed students to write in whenever they had something that they really needed to tell me or just needed to get off their chest.  This also worked for the students that were a little hesitant to ask for help.  They simply could grab the notebook and write to me.  I would then take the notebook home each night and write a little note back to the student answering their questions or just letting them know that I was glad they had been able to share something with me.  I have gotten some really great responses from students about this.  Many felt that it was a way to communicate with an adult without feeling scared or shy.

This will work with your own children as well.  I would suggest a different journal for each child though.  This will give them the feeling of security and will let them know that whatever they write is private between you and them.  Let them decorate it and make it their own!  Also, decide on a signal to let each other know that something has been written and the other person should read it and respond. 

Keep the journal some place that you both agree on and again, with more than one child, keep that place a secret.  Then, when either of you have something you want to discuss, but feel better about putting in writing, you can write in the journal.  You will not believe how much more open and honest some kids can be when they are writing.  It is a great way to let them know that you are proud of them or that you are disappointed in something that they did.  It is also a peaceful way to resolve conflict!

I am actually starting this with my 6 year old.  He has a journal that he writes in at school and was just telling me how they are encouraged to share their writing with a peer and write responses.  He has had so much fun and actually loves to write because of it (an added bonus to the whole process).

In the end, you will have such a wonderful keepsake of your life with your child.  While everything that is written may not always be happy, you will be able to have a written history of your lives together!

When you have gathered enough entries, you can preserve this written record in a book!  Add photos of this time in your child's life.  What a great gift on their 21st birthday or on the day that they get married.  Or, why not create a special journal for each of your children to write in with their photos on the front!