How to Keep a Parenting Journal
Decide who will read this journal., Pick the right journal., Write about your child's developments and milestones., Write about the people in your child's life., Work out any behavioral and parenting challenges you and your child face., Use your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Decide who will read this journal.
If you are going to be the sole audience for your parenting journal, you have the freedom to write whatever you want.
Consider whether you will let your child read your journal when he or she is older.
This might influence what you write about in your journal.
If you will let your child read what you write, you might want to keep the journal positive, or be prepared to honestly discuss any negative or indifferent emotions you write about as a parent. -
Step 2: Pick the right journal.
You might prefer a pretty notebook or a leather-bound volume.
If you do most of your reading and writing online, start a digital journal.
Consider online sites such as Penzu or Daily Diary.
They provide you with a private online space to keep a journal or a diary.
You can download them to your own computer, print them out or continue contributing for as long as you want. , A parenting journal is a good place to record first steps, first words and favorite foods.
Keep your parenting journal with your baby books, photo albums and other things that you use to capture the growth and development of your child.
A journal will give you more space to explore how you feel at every stage. , Include how your child interacts with family members, neighbors, friends and school mates.
Write about special relationships and bonds. , Parenting can be stressful, and writing about the stress is a healthy way to deal with your emotions and challenges.
Write down what is happening when you feel the most stress, or when your child is acting out and not listening.
This might help you identify patterns that can minimize behavioral issues in the future. , If you are struggling with something, write down a question and then brainstorm potential solutions.
Seeing it written out might help you organize it in your mind. , Set aside a specific time each day or every week to make an entry.
The consistency will help your time management, and give you something to look forward to during the hectic parts of your day.
Stay flexible.
Establishing a regular journal routine is good, but do not be hard on yourself if you miss a few days or weeks.
Or, jot something quickly such as "kids sick--catch up next week."
Hide it from your children as well as any friends and family members who might snoop when in your home.
Consider using a diary with a key for printed journals, and protect any online journals with a password. , Some parents record recipes, make to-do lists, note their child's height and weight, or rant about the amount of homework that comes home from school.
This parenting journal is yours, and you should use it in any way that works for your lifestyle. -
Step 3: Write about your child's developments and milestones.
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Step 4: Write about the people in your child's life.
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Step 5: Work out any behavioral and parenting challenges you and your child face.
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Step 6: Use your parenting journal to ask and answer questions.
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Step 7: Write regularly in your parenting journal.
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Step 8: Keep your parenting journal in a safe place
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Step 9: especially if it is meant to be private.
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Step 10: Use your parenting journal for any purpose that works for you.
Detailed Guide
If you are going to be the sole audience for your parenting journal, you have the freedom to write whatever you want.
Consider whether you will let your child read your journal when he or she is older.
This might influence what you write about in your journal.
If you will let your child read what you write, you might want to keep the journal positive, or be prepared to honestly discuss any negative or indifferent emotions you write about as a parent.
You might prefer a pretty notebook or a leather-bound volume.
If you do most of your reading and writing online, start a digital journal.
Consider online sites such as Penzu or Daily Diary.
They provide you with a private online space to keep a journal or a diary.
You can download them to your own computer, print them out or continue contributing for as long as you want. , A parenting journal is a good place to record first steps, first words and favorite foods.
Keep your parenting journal with your baby books, photo albums and other things that you use to capture the growth and development of your child.
A journal will give you more space to explore how you feel at every stage. , Include how your child interacts with family members, neighbors, friends and school mates.
Write about special relationships and bonds. , Parenting can be stressful, and writing about the stress is a healthy way to deal with your emotions and challenges.
Write down what is happening when you feel the most stress, or when your child is acting out and not listening.
This might help you identify patterns that can minimize behavioral issues in the future. , If you are struggling with something, write down a question and then brainstorm potential solutions.
Seeing it written out might help you organize it in your mind. , Set aside a specific time each day or every week to make an entry.
The consistency will help your time management, and give you something to look forward to during the hectic parts of your day.
Stay flexible.
Establishing a regular journal routine is good, but do not be hard on yourself if you miss a few days or weeks.
Or, jot something quickly such as "kids sick--catch up next week."
Hide it from your children as well as any friends and family members who might snoop when in your home.
Consider using a diary with a key for printed journals, and protect any online journals with a password. , Some parents record recipes, make to-do lists, note their child's height and weight, or rant about the amount of homework that comes home from school.
This parenting journal is yours, and you should use it in any way that works for your lifestyle.
About the Author
Alexander Williams
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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