Mom and Me Journals

Though I would love to claim responsibility for this idea, it came from the marvelous Mrs. G. Here is our version of it, however.

I purchased a regular composition notebook and wrote our names and the date on the cover. Inside the first pages, I wrote something about my life that would interest my child. In my girls', I wrote about a friend I had when I was her age. In my sons', I wrote about when I got sick at the movie theater. At the end of the entry, I asked a question I wanted them to answer.

I put the journals on each child's bed (with a sharpened pencil) and left. I didn't say anything to them, I just waited. It didn't take long before my girl came to me and said, "There is something on your bed."She had answered my question, then asked a question she wanted me to answer. I answered it. I made sure to skip lines, spell correctly and write carefully. I didn't correct her spelling, grammar or critique her in any way. We were just communicating. I wrote another question for her.

Our writing goes in spurts. Sometimes we'll write several times a day, sometimes we'll skip several days before someone remembers that it is their turn to answer a question.

She is WRITING. Her spelling has improved, her answers are getting longer, her penmanship is easier to read.

My son and I have kept our journal, too, though there is less than with my girl.

It has been wonderful. We have a secret that is just between us; her other siblings are not invited to this club. Mostly, though, we are learning about each other.

We are writing an invaluable treasure.