Hints for successful journaling with your child

• Why journal with your child in the first place?
• A good time to begin the journal is on your child’s birthday, the beginning of the new year or at the beginning of the school year.  But really, it doesn’t matter when you start as long as you work to complete it in one calendar year (and then buy another one!). 
• If your child cannot write or is still learning to write, read the questions aloud and write in his/her answers.
• Try not to edit your child’s words or writing.  You will treasure his/her unique thought process, grammar and spelling in the future.
• Set aside time each week to work on the book with your child.  You will be amazed at the memorable conversations you will have.

Ideas for filling up the “More Thoughts and Drawings” section of the journal

• Talk about a holiday that was not covered in the holiday section.
  
• Record the events of one schoolday.
  
• Record the events of one weekend.
  
• Cut out small doodles or notes and affix them in the open space.
• Ask your child to define a word like gravity and record their answer.
  
• Make a list of books you read together during the year.
  
• Give your child the thought starters “The best thing about today was…”  & “The worst thing about today was…” and record their answers.
  
• Make a record of the child’s chores.
  
• Record all the different food the child ate that day.

To make this archival quality journal a keepsake:

• Write text in acid-free ink so it will not be compromised over time.
• Use acid-free colored pencils for the creative drawing spaces.  Please note: crayons may rub to the adjoining page and markers may bleed through the pages.
• Affix photos using acid-free tape, glue or photo corners.