Tuesday Talk!

Hi friends!!
Happy Tuesday!!

Hope your week is off to a great start! We are on spring break this week and it is SO nice to not be doing the school/homework shuffle!! Makes me sooooo ready for summer break!! :)

So- I wanted to share something new that I have started doing with Charlotte- it is SO simple and ridiculously precious!

As Charlotte has started to get a little older, I have really been wanting a way for us to communicate, candidly and freely. Charlotte has a tendency to not talk about things that make her uncomfortable and she also holds in her feelings instead of talking about them. And while I never want to "force" her to talk to me (or Aaron)- I feel it is my responsibility to help her find other ways to share her feelings, so the lines of communication between us are always open!!

A couple weeks ago, we had a little situation where I asked her a very simple question that made her feel VERY uncomfortable and she totally shut down. We were finally able to work through it- but that was when I realized I needed to give her an additional outlet to "talk to me."
So- off to Amazon I went in search of a journal that we could share- and I found this "Just Between Us: Mother and Daughter: A No Stress, No Rules Journal." 
Friends- this journal has been SO amazing for us!!
She absolutely LOVES it. She loves all the different writing prompts as well as the "free space." She has already shared some things with me that she has hasn't talked about previously- and I am just so thankful!!
Because I have 2 other daughters, who are ALL about doing everything their big sister does, I gave them each a "mommy and me" journal at the same time Charlotte got her new journal. I didn't get them the "Between You and Me Journal," but instead, got them each a really pretty composition notebook and wrote on the front of it "Cora's Mommy and Me Journal." Of course- Cora and Celine pointed out RIGHT AWAY (HA!) that their journals weren't the same as Charlotte's- but I just explained to them that once they are 8 and are reading at the same level as Charlotte, they can have the same type of journal as her....that explanation worked for them- thank goodness! HA!

Cora is 6 and she is my HUGE extrovert and talks about EVERYTHING. We actually have to work on knowing when to NOT talk about certain things with her :) She has written in her journal once- and that's about as interested as she has been in it. Which is totally fine! She knows she can write/draw in her journal whenever she wants and I will answer her questions!

Celine is almost 5 and is just now learning how to write simple sentences, so she is not doing a lot of "writing" in her journal- but instead she is loving drawing me "picture questions." One of her latest questions was "How to penguins waddle?" and she drew me the most INSANELY adorable penguins and that was her way of asking me her question. SO CUTE! Celine is has some similar personality characteristics to Charlotte- so I could see her using her journal on a regular basis, especially as she gets older :)

As my girls have gotten older, I feel an immense responsibility to shepherd their hearts and minds, to guide them as they develop and to love them fiercely and protect them, but to also give them room to figure out things on their own!

I want them to know they can ALWAYS talk to me...about ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. 
Starting to journal with each of them has just allowed us another way to share our feelings and to keep building our relationship...which I pray will last the test of time!! :)

FYI: There's A LOT of really neat journals out there...if you have a son- here's one that has amazing ratings: Between Mom and Me: Mother and Son Journal! I will definitely be getting this once James and Marshall are old enough to journal with me!
This journal as well as this journal look really neat too!
And of course, you don't need to a get a "special" journal- like I mentioned above, I just got Cora and Celine pretty composition notebooks and those have been working GREAT!

I would love to know your thoughts on this...do you journal with any of your children?
Have you found that you have a child or multiple children that are not the best verbal communicators and need a little support in that area?
Let me know what has worked well for you!!

Okay- now for some Tuesday Talk fun!!
Check out our new graphic!!! Beth, from Our Pretty Little Girls, created our new Tuesday Talk graphic and I just LOVE it!! She is amazing and we are so excited to have a new, fresh look! Please feel free to start using this graphic on your Tuesday Talk blog post!
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Hope you have the BEST day!!
Full Hands Full Heart

Comments

  1. My daughter just got this exact journal! So excited to start using it with her after reading your review!!

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    1. Oh you two are going to LOVE it!!! So fun you have the same journal!!

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  2. I have been thinking about doing this same thing, thank you for this post! My girls are 16,14 and 10, but I would still like to do this with them.

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    1. Cara- I think your girls would love this. I plan to buy a new journal each year for my girls- it really has been such a sweet way for us to have a special way to communicate with each other!!

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  3. What a GREAT idea! Right now, Ella has no problem talking about ANYTHING! HA But later when harder subjects come up this would be great for her!
    So glad that it is helping Charlotte!!

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  4. I'm stopping by from the linkup - thanks for hosting! I LOVE the journal idea. My little one is only three, but I hope to remember this in the future as she gets older.

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  5. Thank you for sharing this! My little girl is so quiet and an extreme introvert as well. She is 9 and I have noticed a big change in her this year, as she is no longer "little" but not "big" either and she is starting to feel all the emotions. I can't wait to order this. Thank you!

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    1. Jenna- this journal would be perfect for her!!! And you described my Charlotte almost to a "T"- I know we are headed into a transition period with her and I want to be ready for it- as much as we can ;) Hope you're having a great week friend!

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  6. I love this idea! What a great way to encourage communication!

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  7. Oh I love love love that they have a boy version too. This just may be something that ends up in Connor's Easter basket.

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  8. This is a wonderful idea. I bet your daughters will be VERY grateful for this in the future. What a sweet mom you are!

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    1. Thank you Tara!! It has already made a huge impact with each of my girls and I am looking forward to many more years of journaling with them!!

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  9. This is such a great idea Justine!! I haven't had any issues with Emma not wanting to talk about things, but Alyx could be a different story so I will definitely keep this in mind =)
    Thanks for sharing it!

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    1. Thanks Johannah!! As you know- each child is SO different!! I know Charlotte will use her journal to ask me "big" stuff...whereas Cora- who asks me "big" stuff while we are in the line at the grocery store (HA!) uses it to write me love notes :) Either way- I am glad that my girls know they have multiple ways they can "talk" to me and they can pick which one they feel most comfortable with!! :)

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  10. What a great idea!! I bet your girls will LOVE this! You're smart to get them all similar things and then explain that the exact same things aren't appropriate for them. I bet you'll have a lot of fun with these as your girls get older. And I'm guessing you'll have some great conversations with Charlotte back and forth in your journal. You're such a great mom - thanks for sharing!!

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  11. Oh, I love your mama heart, friend! Great idea!

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  12. I hope you have a wonderful Spring Break with your family! XOXO
    My 10 year old daughter and I have a journal, too, and I agree that it's a great way to communicate. I tried it with my 12 year old son, but he's just not into it. That must be the difference between boys and girls!

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    1. That's so fun your daughter and you journal together too!!! Yes- just at 2.5 years old- I can already tell James might not "be into" journaling with me...it's crazy how kids from the same parents can each be so different and unique!! Hope you're having a great week!

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  13. I recently started keeping journals with my two girls. It's been so helpful! We use the journals from Kai Kai Brai (I wrote a full review on my blog). It was especially encouraging how they wrote to me when I was away on a long trip. I love how we are capturing moments and keeping records through our journal. Keep it up!

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    1. Sarah- I was just looking at the Kai Kai Brai journals!! They look gorgeous!!! Right now- they are a little out of my price range- but I book marked them for the future!! So fun to know you are journaling with your girls too!! Hope you have a great rest of your week!!

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  14. Oh, what a sweet, sweet idea! I'm bookmarking this for myself down the road.

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