Baby Journaling
It’s Easier Than You Think!
“I don’t have time!” “I don’t know what to write!” Do you find yourself saying this when asked if you have a baby book or journal for your child? You are not alone. Many moms and dads feel the same way. With everyone so busy these days, who has time to sit down and write every detail of their child’s life? It’s enough that we remember what we had for breakfast this morning!
Most expectant parents start out with good intentions when they receive that adorable baby book at their shower. They are diligent about recording results of ultrasounds, room décor choices, and other details as they plan for their baby’s arrival.
Then the baby is born and those pockets of time so easily taken for granted, are now gone. Those precious moments are filled with feedings and diaper changing and, when attainable, sleep! The grand expectation of writing down every minute of their baby’s life is now thrown out the window and that beautiful baby book sits idly on a shelf, or worse, is tucked away in the closet never to be seen again.
Does it have to be this way? Does every child have to have a partially filled out baby book? I say confidently – “No!” Keeping track of your baby’s milestones and events can be done, easily and quickly.
The first thing you need to do is get rid of the notion that you have to write down every single detail of your child’s life. Neither you nor they are going to care that they smiled for the first time on August 17 at 3:00pm. What is more memorable and worth noting is who saw this precious moment? Where were you when it happened? Many moms feel that if they don’t remember the dates and times of when these milestones occurred then there’s no need to write anything down. I’m here to tell you that you couldn’t be more wrong. This all-or-nothing attitude is a sure-fire way to keep you from starting and finishing your child’s journal.
The second thing is stop thinking you have to be a best-selling author in order to be worthy of chronicling your little one’s journey. This is your child, your words, and let me tell you something —the day that you hand over this book to your child later in their life, the last thing going through their mind is going to be your lack of proper grammar! They will be so thrilled that you took the time (whatever time it was for you) to jot down the stories of their life that nothing else will matter.
Eliminating these two misconceptions is going to be a huge first step on your path of creating a keepsake that your family will always treasure.
Once you’re in this positive mindset, go get that baby book out of the closet. If it really isn’t one that you love or will find easy to use, then get another. It doesn’t matter what it looks like on the outside. It just matters that you are taking the time to fill it with your words and your love.
Now, find five minutes in your day. Yes, five minutes. Whether it’s in the morning over coffee or right before bed, or even if it’s while waiting in the doctor’s office. Open your book and write whatever comes to your mind about your child in that moment. Did he or she walk today? Great! Write that down. Did they say their first word? Terrific. Write that down. It might look something like this.
“You said “ba” today at the park!”
Surprised, huh? You thought I was going to tell you to go on and on about why you were at the park, what was going on, what the child was wearing. No. If all you can do is write the note above, then pat yourself on the back and revel in your success.
Keeping a baby journal is not about recording the minutiae of your child’s life. Deciding to keep a journal for your child is so that you can record their story. And every story is different.
We all have to learn to crawl before we can walk. Take a baby step today and start from where you are.
Soon you will find out that you do have time and you do know exactly what to write. And guess what? You will have a completed journal for your child that all of you will treasure one day.