Want all the best tips and tricks for filling out your Say & Do Childhood Memory Journal? You're in the right place!
Whether you already received your journal in the mail or are on the fence about making a purchase, this post will give you the confidence that you need to easily fill out your journal with your child's most precious moments, whenever you're ready to start memory-keeping.
Below, we'll walk you through the journal's core sections and give you tips to help make your journal your own. Let's get started!
WHO YOU ARE: This sweet section at the beginning of each "Year" gives you the space to document the qualities and characteristics that make your child so deeply special. Rather than filling this section with loads of statistics and dates, we hope that you'll focus instead on the details that capture the heart and soul of your kiddo - their interests and passions, their quirks and habits, their character and personality - which, in our opinion, are the things that you'll most want to remember 20 years from now.
'THINGS YOU SAY' and 'THINGS YOU DO': These sections are the bread and butter of your memory journal! Use these pages to write down all of the unforgettable things that your child says and does each year.
For example, consider including things your child says and does that are:
- sweet
- creative
- surprising
- brave
- funny
Or try adding what they say or do in moments of:
- joy
- gratitude
- pride
- anticipation
- hesitancy
Just to name a few!
Here are some sample memories to serve as inspiration for these sections in your own journal:
THINGS YOU SAY
- While taking a walk one morning with Foster (age 2), we passed a school bus. As it drove by he stretched out his little hands and yelled, "Wait for me school bus! I'm coming!" After watching his big sister ride the bus every day, he's so excited to one day get to do it himself.
- Kinsley (10 months) said her first word ("Mama") in April!
- Ezra (age 3) has trouble saying the 's' sound at the beginning of 's' words. For instance, he says "nake" instead of "snake," and it's the sweetest thing ever!
- Emma (age 16) handled a moment of rejection so admirably this year. She recently found out that she was one of only three kids (in a class of 22) who were not invited to a classmate's sweet 16 party. While being slighted in this way obviously hurt her feelings, she told me after the fact that, "I think that things like this happen for a reason, Mom. Maybe there was something I wasn't supposed to experience at that party. I'm ok with it." I thought that this line of reasoning was so mature!
- Frankie (age 7) ran up to his little brother totally unprompted, gave him the biggest hug, and said "I love you, you little dinosaur!" SO FUNNY (and sweet!)!
- One night, while putting Mya (age 6) to bed, I noticed that she was beginning to cry. When I asked her what was wrong, she told me that she had been thinking about what life would be like when she became a grownup. She began asking me questions - What would she look like when she got older? Would she still be able to live with us? Would I still take care of her? I was floored by how thoughtful and heartfelt her questions were.
THINGS YOU DO
- Sheldon (age 11) was playing forward in his soccer team's end of year tournament. He was wide open, ready to score, when the ball was passed to him. As he started to dribble towards the goal, his cleat sailed off his foot and landed several yards away. Rather than freezing up, Sheldon amazed his whole team (and everyone watching) by bounding down the field in his sock foot and scoring a goal! So proud of his determination and make-do attitude!
- During a playdate with friends, Jamal (age 3) noticed that one child in particular was too nervous to join in the fun on the playground. He walked over to the child, wrapped his arm around her, and sweetly guided her to the swingset. Love his kind heart!
- Sophia (17) has a beautiful singing voice but has terrible stage fright that has kept her from performing in front of crowds...until now! This school year, she conquered her fear by auditioning for the school play, landing the lead role, and performing in 6 shows of the musical "Annie." It took so much courage for her to step out in faith in this way, and we're beyond proud of her!
- On the morning of Valentine's Day, Fynleigh (age 7) walked into my (Mom's) bedroom carrying a tray filled with a homemade breakfast (toast, fruit, yogurt, and a cup of juice). Totally unprompted, she had gotten up early to make me feel special.
REFLECTIONS: Not enough pages in each "Year" to say all that you want to say? That's what the Reflections section is for! Use this space in a number of ways:
- elaborate on memories or experiences that you documented in the Things You Say/Things You Do sections
- write down new moments that you didn't have enough room to include in the appropriate "Year" section
- include "Letters to Your Child" - a letter to your child on each of their birthdays, a letter upon graduating (elementary/middle/high school), letters from relatives (parent, grandparents, siblings, etc.)
- document a long-form "say or do" story that's too lengthy to write in its designated section
MISCELLANEOUS JOURNAL HACKS
Blank Pages: If you flip through your journal, you'll notice a clean, blank page before each introductory "Year" page (prior to "Year One," Year Two," Year Three," and so on). This would be a great spot to attach keepsake or sentimental items like:- photographs (a picture from your child's birthday each year, images from vacations, sporting events, performances, etc.)
- mementos (newspaper clippings, programs from events, artwork)
- quotes that summarize your child from that year
Check Your Phone: Make the most of all that post-bedtime scrolling by looking through your phone's photo library. Perusing images from the past year is the perfect way to help jog your memory on special moments that happened. Once you find them, add them to your child's Things You Say or Things You Do section.
Choose Your Own Writing Style: To the perfectionists out there - resist the urge to create a "perfect" journal! Your don't have to fill out every single line. You don't have to write in your best handwriting. We believe that the best journals are the ones that are filled with memories - however messy that might look! Document your child's special moments using short and choppy sentences, bullet format lists (our personal favorite), or long and flowy paragraphs. Use pens, pencils, fine point markers, or highlighters. The most important thing? That you get those precious memories OUT of your head and ONTO paper.
Now that you've gotten a better understanding of the Say & Do Journal and have learned some handy tips and tricks for filling it out, it's time to start memory keeping! And if you need some encouragement, head on over to @printpreserve where you'll find advice and resources to help you find joy in the journey!
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How do you use your Say & Do journal? Tag us @printpreserve to share your best hacks for making the most out of your journal.