Which journal is right for us?

4 things I’ve learned practicing gratitude with my kids

So we are already into April & we thought we'd stop & reflect on the gratitude journey. The things we notice changing, the bits we really enjoy, what are we learning.....why are we doing this anyway? Here's our take on our top 4 things we've learned below.

1. There is so much that they take in!

I am genuinely amazed with some of the things that show up in the pages. Things I barely noticed or thought they didn't see pop up all the time. Our three kids all have very different personalities, they certainly notice different things about their worlds. The oldest (8) has no trouble telling us how he feels in everything we do & our little girl is similar. Our middle boy can be a lot more laid back, answer questions with a shrug & often appears not to be thinking much at all. When we reflect on the question in our gratitude journals for the day, he often surprises me with what has made him feel happy or special.

2. The simple things matter.

There are days I think we’ve done something I would consider ‘amazing’ and the kids will write about the smell of their breakfast cooking, or snuggling in bed that morning. Sometimes the things I think I suck at as a mum, the kids think was a total highlight. My 'fantastic' costume making skills have shown up even though I can’t sew to save myself!

3. Laughing is the best medicine.

Sometimes the kids are accidentally funny, but I’ve noticed since we have been completing our journals together, their humour has really blossomed. I think spending time together discussing our thoughts, an intimacy builds & the ability to make each other laugh grows too.

4. All you have to do is get started.

Sometimes the idea of a new practice sounds good, but we never really get started (I mean, it took me 5 years to actually start this practice with the whole family!) But once I committed to doing it for real this year, it really started to be fun & not a mum thing I was enforcing like ‘clean your room, brush your teeth’. It wasn’t an instant thing, but over time the kids really starting enjoying it. I think it’s mainly because they get time to express themselves, be heard & also feel special.

If you are on the gratitude journey with your family, drop by our social media hangouts and let us know what it's like for you too.

Posted on April 12, 2017

Gratitude Books for kids & teens FAQ’s

1. Which book is best suited to my kids?

We have designed two versions of the books to suit different styles of gratituders. The kids version has more coloured pics for inspiration & prompting. The language in this version is a little simpler too so it can be easily understood.

The teens version has less pictures leaving space for each child’s own creativity to shine. The language is suited to a child able to comprehend text easily. You don’t have to be a teen to enjoy this version, we have many 10 year olds & grown ups who love this one too.

If you are still unsure of which ones to go with, feel free to contact us and we can help you out.

2. What about my toddler?

If you would love to get into this practice early with your kid, we think that’s a great idea! Kel and I have started with our 2 & 4 year olds & it is fun to do. There are a few ways you can approach it.

You can read the daily question to your toddler & have them answer you as you write it down for them. This can be such a cute experience & creates a great keepsake for years to come.

If you have older kids doing the journal like Jan, & your pre-schooler wants to be part of it, you can help them write simple words like ‘Daddy, Mummy or Gran’. Or alternatively, they can listen to the prompts from their siblings & they can use a blank notebook or paper to express their response.

We have free downloads of some of the pages on our website that you can use too. {Check out here} http://bit.ly/2iyBIzs

3. Do I need to start the book at the beginning of the year?

No not at all. The book isn’t dated it is simply numbered 1 - 365 days so you can start anytime (or accidentally miss a few days & pick up where you left off if you need!)

4. When is the best time of the day to do it?

Each individual family is different & there is no one right way. If you have early risers like Jan, her family does theirs early in the morning. They reflect on the day before.

If you have kids who love to wind down in the evening with a lot of books & reading like Kel, you can complete the journal entry at bedtime just before book reading. This is a lovely way to connect as a family & hear about each others day.

Lots of families love to think about gratitude at meal time, so getting the kids to fill theirs out while dinner is being cooked is another great way to enjoy this practice.

5. Can I do it too?

Of course! There is no reason you can’t enjoy the journals too. If like Kel you enjoy a bit of structured space for your gratitude, the teens journal suits any age & might even spark some hidden creativity! If like Jan you like to write more free-flowing you can use a notebook to record your thoughts for the day. The important thing is enjoying the practice on a regular basis.

Please hit us up with any questions or pics from your own gratitude experience at our Facebook & Instagram homes {links below}.

We hope you have fun with it!

Warmest wishes

Posted on February 23, 2017

Tagged: FAQs, gratitude, gratitude journals for kids, gratitude journals for teens

Gratitude journals for kids & teens

Hi guys,

Thank you so much for the support of our project and purchasing our journals! This has been a passion project in the works for many years and thanks to the support of all you lovely people we have finally brought this baby to life.

We have been eagerly awaiting the delivery from our supplier and have had some hiccups in getting it perfect along the way! We have received some fantastic samples and now we await delivery....we expect they will arrive around Christmas Day (Merry Christmas to us!) So if you have been waiting to purchase yours, it wont be long!

Merry Christmas everyone
Jan and Kel xx

Posted on December 13, 2016

Tagged: gratitude journals for kids, gratitude journals for teens