As promised, today I’m sharing my Big Life Journal review. I wanted to wait until we had used the journal it for a couple of months so I could provide the best feedback possible for you all. If you have a child who loves to journal or are looking for ways to help your child work through their emotions, this is for you!
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What are the benefits of journaling for kids?
Before I share the Big Life Journal review, I want to point out some of the added benefits of journaling.
Processing their Feelings. Kids experience a lot of big emotions every day. Writing those thoughts and feelings down gives them a tool for sharing, reflecting, and processing their feelings. Working through big emotions can also reduce stress. When kids feel uncertain about something, writing their feelings down can help their feelings become more manageable and improve their mood.
Building Communication Skills. Journals provide a way for kids to express themselves and opens up lines of communication with adults. They begin to develop more words to share what they are thinking. Written communication or drawing pictures to express emotions can be especially helpful for kids who don’t always like to share their feelings out loud.
Academic Development. Building a habit of writing supports reading and writing skills and helps kids build their vocabulary. The more they write, the better they will get at skills like spelling and sentence structure. Regular writing also helps with fine motor skills and handwriting. Studies have also shown that journaling can improve short term memory.
Why we chose the Big Life Journal for kids.
My youngest started 2nd grade this year. He has always loved school and was so very excited to start a new school year with his friends. The first two months went just like I expected. He was ready to go every day and came home sharing all of the things he did.
October came and I started to travel a little for work. My partner called me to say that when he dropped our 2nd grader off at school, he was complaining that his stomach hurt. I thought it was just anxiety over his routine changing (I’m normally the school drop off parent), and figured it would get better when I was home.
The weeks after I returned from my trips, we still faced challenges nearly every day. My son would wake up and immediately say he didn’t feel well. Several days he would get sick as he was walking into school. We talked to the pediatrician to rule out any illness and were able to narrow things down to anxiety.
As a former elementary teacher, I had some strategies in my back pocket. We focused on breathing techniques, spend lots of quality time together in hopes it would get him to talk more. We also asked for the school counselor to meet with him. You name it, we tried it. We had a few good days, but the morning belly aches continued for the most part. I started to search for another solution.
I knew my son was a lot like me. Not big on talking about his feelings when prompted and needs time to reflect and will talk when he was ready. I turned to journaling to get my thoughts down and thought it might be a good solution for him, too. After many searches, I stumbled upon the Big Life Journal website and purchased this one. I fell in love with the colorful illustrations and prompts on the pages and knew my worksheet-loving kiddo would love it, too.
What is the Big Life Journal all about?
The Big Life Journals are science-based and help your child write down their ideas and emotions. The prompts and activities are fun and engaging and easy for kids to read and understand. They also encourage positive thinking, boost confidence and self-love.
We purchased the daily edition, which includes the following:
- An intro section where your child can write down all of their favorite things. The prompts cover things they like to do, what their strengths are, what makes them happy, their hopes and dreams, and what they would like to get better at. There’s a visual overview of emotions and prompts to help children outline some strategies they can do when they feel some of those big emotions.
- The daily journal section provides a space for kids to share a little about each day. Each page includes writing (or drawing) prompts and a place to circle how they felt. The prompts change from day to day and include fun illustrations and cartoons. Some examples of the prompts are:
- Today I am proud of myself for:
- Something that made me laugh today:
- One great thing that happened today:
- I’m grateful for my friends because:
When I told my son I was going to do this Big Life Journal review, I promised him I would only show you what he wanted me to share. He did say that I could take a picture of this page. I love that he shared it with me (and all of you) because he is proud of what he wrote down and the strategies he now refers back to.
How we use our journal.
We read through the first section together. You can complete this section with your child or let them fill it out on their own. My son chose to read through the pages with me and then complete them on his own. I did not push him to show me, but he decided he wanted me to read through it with him when he was ready.
We set a routine to help him remember to write in his journal every day. We talked about when he felt like writing the most. He shared that he wanted to write during the day and decided to keep it in his backpack. Since most of the anxiety he was experiencing happened at school, he wanted to be able to get it when he needed to write down his thoughts. I spoke to his teacher to make sure she knew. Now he uses it daily when he has free time in his classroom.
One thing I made sure to do was respect his privacy. I want him to feel free to write whatever he is feeling without fear of someone else seeing it. I only read his pages when he asks me to. Some days, he shows me right when he gets home from school. Other days, he chooses not to share at all and that’s ok. When he does choose to share, I let him lead the conversation. It’s been amazing to see him grow in his confidence. I also love the way he is now able to talk about his emotions.
This daily journal has also helped me learn more about my child. When we go over things together, I learn a little more about his likes, dislikes, and what brings him comfort. We have been able to take those strategies and apply them at home when he’s feeling big emotions. I now know that a big hug or being able to listen to music helps him relax and regulate his emotions. Sometimes, he likes to sit outside and be alone. We set up a little space for him in our backyard just for this purpose. We know now not to push him when he puts in his headphones or goes to his quiet space.
How to select a journal for your child.
When selecting a journal for your child, it’s important to let them be a part of the process. Writing should be fun and engaging. When kids have a choice in what they are doing, they are more likely to stick with it. I knew my son loved pictures, worksheet-type pages, and the option to write or draw depending on his mood. I showed him the sample pages on the daily journal, and he immediately said yes!
If your child likes to be more creative and would benefit from a blank slate, try using a blank journal to get them started. We used these colorful books when he was younger and wanted a place to draw and write.
For kids who would rather not write every day, this version includes stories, more illustrations, and a variety of writing prompts that can be completed any time.
If you’d like more information about the resources from this particular company, check out these links:
Our final thoughts on the Big Life Journal.
The daily edition of the Big Life Journal for Kids is the perfect fit for us at this time. It has helped my son share his feelings and reduce his stress at school. Talking about the journal has also brought us closer together because he has a new way to share his feelings with me. I’m so grateful that we found this resource at the right time for our family. I’m excited to see how he continues to grow as he engages with the prompts.
My son’s Big Life Journal review, “I love my journal. It has helped me at school and now I know what to do when I feel sad or my belly hurts. I like the pictures and when my mom reads it with me.” – Short, sweet and to the point.
If you have additional questions about this Big Life Journal review, please share them in the comments and we will do our best to answer them.