Writing is a great way to keep precious moments both for yourself, and for your children to look back on. Blogger India Longo shares her personal experience with journaling to her thee children.
India Longo is a young millennial mom from the Chicago suburbs. She stays busy with her 3 little ones ages are 6, 2, and 3 months old. She’s an Esthetician and Makeup Artist with a passion for clean beauty. All natural and vegan products are a must for her family and household. She loves sharing the importance of living a natural and simple life. Some of her favorite things include sipping on coffee, grocery shopping by herself, and practicing yoga. She is currently working on transforming her life to be more minimalist, and you can follow her journey on her blog "Lipstick and Laundry" at http://www.lipstickandlaundryblog.com/. She is a big lover of social media and you can keep up with her on IG @lipstick.and.laundry.blog and Facebook @lipstickandlaundryblog
Journaling first crossed my mind when my oldest was born. It was such a special time in my life, and I felt so deeply connected to this tiny person. At the end of each day, I would find myself talking to her about the things that happened that day, as if she was older and could understand. So after about a year, I bought a journal and began writing these memories down. It started as a personal space for me, and I found myself feeling better after a stressful day when I could turn to my journal and explain what my daughter and I had been through together.
“The days are long, and the years are short.”
As parents, this quote couldn’t be more true. Think about it - getting from day care drop-off to dinner time can seem like an eternity of never-ending tasks. But then we blink our eyes and our little babies are talking, walking, and oh-so-independent. As a mom, my emotions are a rollercoaster. I am so tired, yet so happy and thankful for these wildly beautiful gifts. I've come to appreciate every phase of my children's lives, even the terrible two's. (Which I’m going through now.) But it's not always easy. It can be a challenge to slow down and remember what matters most. It's not the dirty dishes or the crumbs on the floor, but the smiles and giggles from their bellies. Taking just a little time to write helps to sort through the events of the day and realize both the bigger picture, and all of the wonderful precious moments... for your own sanity and peace of mind.
Another big inspiration for me to begin writing was when I read my dad's own journals. These were his personal thoughts, and now that he has passed, it is so special to me to hold onto them. I love to see his handwriting and feel the feelings that he had when writing his thoughts down. I'm very happy that my kids will one day have the same experience with these books.
Since I've had the opportunity to read my Dad's journals, I know the power of reading a journal written by a parent. It has given me a better perspective on why things happened in my life the way they did. Things I didn't understand at the time, I now have clarity and peace with. Things he couldn't tell me, or I didn't remember, I have been able to read as if he was talking to me face-to-face. Everyone has their own childhood memory of when something didn't seem right or fair, but now, as an adult and parent, it is understandable. Like that time you didn't get to go to the movies on a school night, or Mom missed the basketball game. Journaling gives your child the back story they may not be able to understand just yet. It happens often that I easily get upset with my children and are a little hard on them -- when it's really my own personal issues that are bothering me. With the journal, I can explain it to them when they are ready to understand. The good and the bad days are all part of life and I don’t want to hide that. I hope that my kids will keep these journals as they go through life, and even as they become parents themselves.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not something I do on a daily basis because let's be honest, I'm exhausted as we all are! I usually take turns writing to each of my kids when I will have something special to say about them on that specific day. I don’t always write novels, sometimes I simply just write, "I love you."
Writing is a great way to keep these moments both for yourself, and for your children to look back on. I now have a journal for each of my kids to make it more personal. I want them to be able to read about their childhood, on top of having all of the photos and videos. It is an extra special way to connect with them and enjoy the memories again. It has become very enjoyable to jot down these precious memories and can even take feelings of stress away, just by writing down my thoughts.
Give it a try! Don't put too much pressure on yourself to write. Grab your wine, enjoy your momentary silence, and the emotional floodgates will open... trust me!
