Chaplain's Chat

Hi everyone, 

It's been so great having everyone back after such a long break and I've loved seeing everyone adapting to being back at school. 

Sometimes when there are changes in our lives, it can be difficult to adapt and process what has happened. A way to help with processing and understanding big feelings can be with a journal. Journaling for kids is a great way to open up new horizons. To a child, a journal can be a friend, a confidant and a mentor. You can use them to be creative, find more about yourself and even for problem-solving. It is a way to process and think things through, and for children it allows a safe place to play with their creativity and writing capabilities. 

Teaching a child to journal can be a great joint activity you can do together as a family. A journal is a place everyone can express themselves with any material they want. It can be used to write memories, draw pictures, make stories, have wish lists and for ideas and musings. 

Some tips for good journaling include

• Keep it fun: Don’t make it something you ‘have’ to do every day. Instead make it about you when you feel you have something to say.
   
• Get nice pens: Children will be more excited to write and draw if they can try out and choose their own. Gel pens or coloured pens are a great way to encourage creativity. 
   
• Try out different books. Whether they are big, small, spiral, thin or hard cover, everyone has a preference. The choice creates excitement!
   
• Keep it private: To really benefit children, a journal needs to be a place they are comfortable to write freely. You can ask your children to share their creations with you if they feel comfortable, but keeping it private can help build that trust between you and your child. 
   
• Use materials: Get creative! You can use magazines, different pens, outside objects – anything that gets that creativity and fun going.

If you are having trouble thinking of things to journal about, you can customize a journal so it’s for a specific purpose. Some journals you can create include 

• Kindness/ gratitude journal: A list of things people have done for you, and what you have done for others. Helps encourage positive thinking and social interactions.
   
• Record of books read: What was their favourite part of the book? Can they draw a picture of it? Older kids can even write a review or recommendation. 
   
• Money Saving Log: Helps teach money saving for the future and keep track of pocket money
   
• Skills I want to improve: Include things they’re learning and make sure you break down the goal into measurable steps. 
   
• New Experiences journal: It could be food you’ve tried, places you’ve been and words you’ve learnt. Any new experience can be worth journaling about!

Journals not only encourage ways to deal with emotions, but can also be used to improve writing, creativity and communication.