Tag: happiful journal

I’m a mother who journals with her child. I never thought I would be. But what I’ve found this year with Harry starting school is time is such a precious gift and we needed to ‘make’ time in the day to spend together.

By time I don’t mean the morning rush or driving home after school, but slow and intentional time where we can really connect. It was this need for connection in our busy day that became my purpose to create the Happiful Journal.

I thought I would share three happy moments we’ve had over the past few months using the Happiful Journal.

One of the activity ideas in the journal is stargazing, so one night we journaled by starlight. We set up a picnic rug in the backyard, filled in the daily journal page and lay back looking at the stars. Harry shared how he felt proud about swimming under water at his lesson that day.

After journaling one night Harry said to me ‘you make me so happy, Mama’. So sweet! I’ve noticed over the past few months of regular journal time, Harry can express and identify his emotions more freely.

Another night, the daily prompt was ‘I was brave today when I’ and Harry said ‘I rode my bike down the hill’. This got us chatting about how bravery isn’t always climbing Mount Everest or jumping out of a plane. But can be those simple, everyday moments that can nudge you outside your comfort zone.

What I’ve come to realise having a now six-year-old is the days are short with our little ones. The time will whiz past in a blur of school drop offs, birthday parties and bedtimes. So I decided to slow down and take 10 to 15 minutes each day with the Happiful Journal, and it has so enriched our days.

What special rituals or routines do you have with your little ones? I would love to hear. Also you can find out more about my Happiful Journal here.

A few weeks ago, I started journaling with Harry, where each night before bed we snuggle under the covers and I ask him about his day, what emotions he felt and what the weather was like. As a mama who experienced post-natal depression, it’s important for me to share with Harry ways to cultivate a positive mindset, understand his feelings and find gratitude in everyday moments. So, when I went looking for a journal and couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for, I decided to make it!

Journal time has now become a special moment in our daily routine, where we can wind down and check in with each other. Each day the journal includes the prompt ‘I felt’ and Harry can circle his emotion that day or draw his own. One night he circled angry, so I asked ‘what made you feel angry today?’ Harry responded with ‘an imaginary duck, ate one of my imaginary chicks.’

I continued to ask Harry why this made him angry and it was such a funny conversation that unearthed a small moment in his day that I might never have heard about if not for journaling with him. My hope through our journal time is to create a safe and comforting space for Harry to share his day, whether it be excitement and happiness or wobbly moments of sadness or feeling lonely.

“And after a long day of five-year-old tantrums and picky eating, when Harry asks’ Mama, is it journal time?’ my heart fills with joy. His journal is a safe port to come home to in calm or stormy seas and it’s a privilege as his mother to be guiding him on his journey.”

I’ve had inquiries from people wanting to use this journal with their kiddos, so I’ve made the Happiful Journal, a print-at-home gratitude journal! Through using the journal with Harry I’ve tested and changed things. I’ve made each journal page a consistent layout but unique with different emotions, questions and illustrations.

My 98 page ebook Happiful Journal is now in shop and is available in colour and monochrome. 10% of the sale is donated to Kids Helpline.