I went ahead and bought a notebook specific for a child to journal in. I grapple with buying "schooly" things, but I've decided to stop being so critical of myself. So, I introduced the journal to Eli and said, "This is a journal. At the end of each day we'll sit down and you can draw and write about what happened." He was pretty excited about it. Some kids really don't respond well to things like this, especially being so young. He was thrilled. This validated the decision. I wanted Eli to journal for a few reasons. The first being to expand his drawing/imaginative skills. He does a lot of drawing with the husband. He draws swords, guns, blood, monsters, vampires, etc. I wanted him to know that there are other things to draw and that he can draw them. I, in a bit of selfishness, also wanted to see my little boy draw things that are not a mirror image of what his father draws.
The second reason being that I wanted him to practice his letters and spelling. He keeps asking me when we're going to do "school work". Here you go, kid.
Lastly, journaling can help to reduce stress. I started journaling in the 7th or 8th grade. I kept a journal for many years. I have since stopped...but I suppose blogging is my new journal. Journaling is therapeutic. You can revisit your day or your emotions with a calmer mind, both while writing and then later on...days, months or years, even. Journaling can help kids with focusing issues. Writing down one's thoughts is typically thought of as a girl's activity - the diary. I would like my boys to know that it's okay to have feelings and to deal with them in a positive, proactive way.
Amazon has this really cute journal for kids, although, a homemade journal created with construction paper would work just as nicely, if not better.
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