Dear Diary . . .
Journaling helps in organizing thoughts and making them apprehensible. You may be someone who has written diary for ages or someone who keeps including it in every New Year’s resolution. Diary entry or ‘journaling’ is a written expression of train of thoughts which was common in the pre-internet era. Recently, it has regained its prominence considering the various mental health benefits it has proven to have.
The process of decluttering thoughts helps in relieving frustrations, anxiety and stress. It becomes a space for self-reflection, setting goals and working towards them. Therefore, it is likely that one will remember things they have written in their diary, thus improving memory. Journaling is the best way to improve writing. The more one writes, the more his or her writing will improve.
If you think it is difficult to get your child into journaling regularly, here are some tips to help you.
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Personalized journal
A shop-bought diary cannot get children as excited as a customized diary or binder. Buy some cheap paper, bind them together and make it personalized with stickers of your child’s favorite anime character. If you can involve them in making the book, they are likely to be more enthusiastic about writing in them.
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Give them prompts
Come up with fun journal prompts every day or every week to encourage them. The more absurd your prompts are, the more imaginative their writing will be. Ask them questions soon after giving the prompt or give silly ideas that will make the process more fun. It will also make them look forward to the next day’s prompt.
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Journal share day
Have a day dedicated to all the family members reading out each other’s funny anecdotes from their journals. In fact, it could be a great night-time activity that brings the family closer while getting to know a little more about each other. Make sure that nobody’s privacy is breached while doing so.
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Fun music
Upbeat music playing in the background can make any activity more stimulating, be it journaling, crafting or even cleaning. So, let the music play while your child has fun getting creative.
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Creative freedom
Assure your child that he can write about anything and vent out emotions without having the fear of anyone reading it. Allow them to make a mess with colorful pictures and expressions and try not to interfere at all. Encourage them to write in whatever style they like. It does not matter if they make spelling errors or get ideas mixed up. These little errors will make the journals more special to look back on after they grow up. Here are 10 journal writing tips for your kids to start with.
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Bedtime routine
Set a time consistently each day as the time for journaling, preferably at night. This will get ingrained into their daily routine and become a habit. Give them around 15 minutes before going to bed to write about their day.
Allow your child to explore the world through words and have fun with it, and before you know it, journaling would probably become their favorite activity of the day!