mommydaughterjournal by Katie Eaton Photography

My seven year old daughter and I share a journal. And honestly — it’s one of the best traditions I’ve started! I often doubt my parenting skills or choices (I mean, not a week goes by where I don’t think I could have done *something* a little better). But this choice is hands down the best thing I’ve done for our relationship.

We write love letters and notes and draw pictures back and forth almost everyday in our shared journal. She leaves it for me on my nightstand and then I write back and leave it on her bed. I let her know how proud I am of her and how much I love her. And she writes how much she appreciates me as a mommy — and acknowledges things I do for her that I don’t even realize she notices (like when I help her make her bed or that she loves the little love notes I leave for her in her lunchbox).

I originally started it as a way for her to practice writing and learning how to communicate through the written word. There’s something about the written word that I love. Perhaps it’s that you can always look back and read peoples true thoughts — deep from their soul. I still pull out letters my dad wrote me in college. And letters my grandparents have written me from twenty years ago. The journal is simply a way to just keep all our thoughts for a year in one place (instead of little notes getting lost underneath all of her rainbow loom rubber bands).

As she ages I hope she uses it to ask me anything and that it serves as a constant reminder that she’s my everything.

I plan to start a similar journal with my son when he starts kinder — and I honestly wish my husband would jump on board with the idea (but he finds it a little too girlie).

 

 

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