When Little E started nursery, they asked us to keep a little journal of his day. He was only 10 months old, so it was to help maintain a routine that worked at home and nursery. They filled in what he got up to at their end - when he slept, what he ate, what activities he enjoyed - and we did the same when he was home.
It was really useful and more than 2 years on, we all still fill in "his book" every day.
I've kept it up, because it makes me happy and I wondered if others would like to share in the idea.
Why do I like it?
1) It's a lovely memento. I just got back his old journal from nursery. They keep his old ones to help fill in his progress reports. The first entry is from 4/11/15, so over a year ago. Little E was obviously beginning to become confident with his colours and counting 1,2,3. It names the children he played with most at nursery. Our entries over the next few days talk about puddle hunting and his first nasal flu vaccine! It's all the little details there on every page. I can flick through and it triggers lots of happy memories.
2) It helps me to reflect on my day in a positive light. This is of course something that I started for nursery. I didn't want them to think I was a bad mummy, so I documented the "good stuff". However, it also meant that I began to see all the good stuff I did. Big E would come home from work and I would feel defeated - Little E hadn't eaten, he'd watched too much CBeebies, he'd had a tantrum, etc. But then, while they had bath time, I would write in Little E's book and I'd remember we'd had a cuddle on the sofa, that he'd sung me a song, that we'd done some water play at the sink, that I had handled the tantrum and that he'd at least eaten an apple. Big E often writes in the journal at weekends and he finds the same thing - you suddenly realise how much you have done for this little person and we're not doing too badly after all.
I think it works like a mindfulness and a gratitude diary all in one. I take time to reflect on my day and try to focus on the positive things. I'm intending to start one when no. 2 comes along.
We think we plan to keep this up until Little E starts school. We just won't be as lucky to have staff who have time to write such a detailed description of our child's life. We shall see.
