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4 years ago, my first son was born. It feels like he has been a part of my life forever and I can’t remember how life before him looked like. At times I wonder what I did which all the free time that I had before he was born. At the same time, the last 4 years have changed our lives completely: priorities have shifted, days blended into nights and nights into days, we started planning our holidays very differently, packing became a week-long activity rather than just 5 mins of throwing some stuff into a luggage, there were a lot of firsts - first smile, first tooth, first crawl, first step - and many new experiences, lots of laughter and joy as well as anxiety and tears. Four years ago, a whole new journey began and it’s been a rollercoaster ride ever since.
What has helped me throughout the uncertaineties of the past 4 years, raising a tiny human but also living through a pandemic, was journaling. Writing down my thoughts on paper made them clearer and helped me process emotions and feelings in my way. It’s a simple activity because all you need is a pen and a paper (or a laptop), and yet it can have such a big impact on our well-being and mental health.
A child’s birthday is always a moment for me to think back, to reflect. I wish I was one of those parents who kept regular diaries of the childhood years, scrapbooks documenting adventures and activities, moments of laughter and joy. I randomly buy a memory book with the intention of making this the year that I do create a new habit around this, but I haven’t made it so far.
But I do like to reflect on the past year(s), think back on the moment our little boys came into our lives and the hopes and dreams. So I thought I’d share some journaling prompts around this topic for some inspiration.
Journaling prompts for parents
What are you grateful for right now?
What are your favourite memories from the past year?
Thinking back to your child’s last birthday, what has changed since then?
What would you like to teach your child in the coming year?
What intention would you like to set for yourself, your family for the coming year?
Write a list of activities you’d like to do with your child in the next 12 months.
What can you savour now, that you might not be able to experience anymore in a year?
I’m hoping that these prompts will remind you to be present, even for the little things. I’d like them to be an invitation to be grateful for what you are, to mindfully plan what you’d like to experience with your child in the next year.
If you try out these prompts, I’d love to hear how you found them! You can drop me a message or book a free first coaching call (30 mins) to discuss them a bit more in depth.