Growing up, I was a journal junkie. I wrote of my troubles, wonders, heartaches, dreams, gossip, secrets, and daily happenings. For a few minutes each day, I would just write. Whether it was a few lines or few pages, each entry helped me get something off of my chest and kept me from bottling up my emotions. But most importantly, I loved it and it was fun! Below I’ve provided a few reasons why I think kids should keep a journal and some things I gained from keeping one.
5 Reasons Why Kids Should Keep A Journal
1. To Preserve Memories
Obviously, keeping a journal preserves memories. It’s fun to go back and read through some of my old journals and experience who I’ve been. The detail within each story is astonishing. Old photos might show memories, but journal entries TELL them. That’s valuable!
2. It’s Technology-free
Social media has paved the way for kids to express their thoughts on the internet. And while I believe that the growth of the blogging sphere is positive, it’s not private. A journal IS private, and it ensures that kids are focusing on themselves and not on the commentary or approval of others. Plus, it can be relaxing to turn off the technology for half an hour!
3. Can Reduce Stress/Emotional Release
Stress often stems from uncertainty. Organizing his/her thoughts on paper can aid in problem solving. Taking a minute to write it out on paper can make a situation clearer. Journals or diaries, as opposed to other forms of writing, are outlets for expressing the difficult emotions, like anger or frustration, without hurting loved ones.
4. To Develop Positivism
Have your child literally write down positive thoughts and throw away negative ones! Physically throwing away negative thoughts can help clear your child’s mind. And writing down positive thoughts can help a child appreciate him/herself and what he/she has. Personally, writing down things I loved about myself in my journal as a child made me feel more confident, and consequently, happier!
5. To Gain Perspective
Sometimes, writing troubling situations down can help kids to discover a new perspective. Writing forces children to retell the story to themselves. Most of the time, details that were in the background before will rise to the surface. Maybe they’ll find new lessons. Writing in journals can help remind your children that they are the authors of their own lives. Only they can alter their stories.
Remember, it’s never too early or late to start a journal!
Do you or your kids keep a journal? Tell us how journal writing has affected you!
Editor’s Note:
In Kindergarten, my son complained that he was bored every day so his teacher decided he should start keeping a journal to make his day more fun when he had spare time. Here is a funny journal entry from my son’s journal when he was 5.
I love this. Keeping a journal also helps kids develop their communication skills. There are some great journal prompts all over the web to help kids get started with journaling!
Nice article. I used to write in my dairy every day as a teenager. My mother preserved them and now, many many years later, I went through them and yes, it cracked me up to read them now 🙂
We bought a ‘secret’ dairy for my daughter and she writes in it regularly.
Thanks again!
Sujatha Lalgudi
I’ve kept a journal since I was very young. I think it helps us to realise how we have grown and matured, as sometimes I think because it happens over time we don’t realise it and don’t give ourselves enough credit. You’re also right that it helps us to gain perspective, occasionally I will read back on entries and see that things that I was so worked up about don’t even matter to me anymore, and that little things like that in the future shouldn’t matter so much either.