Parents, Start A Journal Right Now — Not For You, For Your Kids
Disclaimer: I don’t like the whole parents vs. non-parents delimitation thing, so while the title of this post is directed to parents and ultimately is about my experience as a parent, the big picture concept of journaling is universal. So if you’re here and not a parent, welcome! I hope you’ll get something from this too.
If you are a parent, I am about to explain why you should buy a journal today. But first, a bit of background.
In 2012 I was talking to my aunt, who had begun writing in a daily journal. She showed it to me, and I was amazed. At this time, I was 28, and my wife and I were about to begin trying to have our first child. Inspiration struck me.
I wanted to get one of these journals, begin writing in it, and recording the history of our lives with the intention of continuing this project until my future children turned 18.
The journal in question was this, One Line A Day: A Five Year Memory Book by Chronicle Books. I purchased one copy.
The format of the journal is simple enough. Each page has a single day on it with five sections, one for each year. Write the year in, then fill in whatever you want for recording the day.
On January 1, 2013, I began my journal and journey.
There are so many ways to approach journaling. Maybe it’s introspective, perhaps reflective, or for me — it was intended to capture a recap of a day.
Entry 1, January 1, 2013: Denver, CO
“After a NYE w/ Mike & Jess at Punch Bowl Social and Our Mutual Friend, Elizabeth and I started the year w/ WI bagels, tea and Star Wars. So far a perfect start to 2013! The Badgers lost the Rose Bowl, but we then watched The Empire Strikes Back. Perfect day.”
Because my journal intended to record the details, no matter how mundane, I would recap each day to the best of my ability.
This includes the details of what I did that day or to discuss a significant historical event. But the true essence of my journal began on October 17, 2013.
Entry: October 17, 2013
“Busy workday, but no biggie b/c today Elizabeth took a test and… she’s pregnant!!! Such an amazing, exciting & terrifying moment! I was practically speechless!!! We are both stoked & so excited!!”
That’s verbatim. I’m not one for excessive exclamation marks, but if any occasion calls for it, it’s that day.
From this point on, the journal shifted from a “day in the life” to “a day in the life of an almost parent” to “a day in the life of a parent.”
The details of the first five years include the births of my niece (2013), my son (2014), and my daughter (2017). It includes the moments of learning about being a parent. It includes job changes. Changes in the lives of our friends and families. Struggles of parenting. Successes of parenting. It also allowed me to make some fun side notes.
- Recorded any movie watched that day (and how many I watched cumulatively that year)
- A year-end list of the books I read
- Important dates to remember
As of today, I have continued into year eight of journaling in journal number two. I plan to purchase one more journal — five in total — which will get me through to December 31, 2038. By then, my son will be 24. My daughter will be 21.
On January 1, 2039, maybe I’ll take a break. Maybe I’ll stop and reflect on 25 years of details. One thing I will certainly do is move journal number 5 to my fire safe. The other thing I will do is remind my children that these journals are for them (and, let’s be honest, for my wife and me to remember too). Whether they want it or not, their entire lives to that point will have been written down and chronicled.
So, parents, if you are even remotely like me and want help remembering the details of our lives, start your journal right now. The only thing you may regret is not having started it sooner.
Fun side notes. The book shows its usage over five years, from frayed binding to ink smears and faded text.
Random recommendations
- Make writing a habit. I write the day’s events every single night before bed.
- I do not take the journal with me when I travel. I use a journaling app, Diaro to record my day and transfer when I return home.
- When you complete a journal, keep it somewhere safe. I use a fire safe for the completed one.
- Share your experience with others. I know that multiple parenting friends of ours have begun this process too.
Hat tip: Joseph Mavericks’ post How Journaling With 3 Notebooks Can 10x Your Productivity for prompting me to write this post.
