![]() ![]() Looking at old journals is equal parts hilarious and heartwarming.Grabbing your notebooks and cuddling up in bed with some colored pencils is a nice way to wind down. Quiet time at the end of the day can be a gift. That’s a recipe for exhaustion and bickering. You are together 24/7, usually in a hotel or smaller space than you are all used to, and are flooded with new experiences. It is a good way to wind down after a busy day of sightseeing.They now look back at their journals and excitedly exclaim, “I remember that!” and get to relive the joy. My kids still remember getting “bolinhas” (pastries) on the beach in Portugal when they were very little and I know part of that is because they wrote about it. onto the day’s pages to bring extra life to the experience. We also typically paste ticket stubs, passes, etc. Once in real time, once when they write it down, and once when they read it again. In a way, they can live the experience three times. Journaling reinforces the experience and strengthens their memories.Sometimes seeing the details through their eyes actually helped us shape the next day’s activities. The important part is that everyone did something that made them happy. So what if your kid remembers the flavor of gelato she got in Rome and only remembers a stone bowl in Pompeii because it reminds her of ice cream. We all enjoy travel differently and it’s good to remember that. My daughter specified everything she had on her ice cream (pineapple, gummy bears and mango on salted caramel frozen yogurt) but was like, “We went to Pompeii.” Sure, I remember being annoyed that she was not fully appreciative of the sights we saw but I also know I spent a page of my own journal talking about an incredible cup of coffee I had one morning. By asking kids to reflect on their day, you discover what was most enjoyable or important to them.So, why should you bother when it would be easier if you just let them watch Minecraft videos while you read a book? Here are five reasons: But we did it and now that my kids are older, I’m so glad we did. They didn’t always want to do it and it was one more thing in a long list of parenting things, which wasn’t always appealing to me either. ![]() When they were young, I asked them draw a picture and describe their days to me and I recorded their observations. I still keep a travel journal but they are not as detailed now, in part because I help my kids journal. My travel journals were a thorough collection of what we did, what we saw, what we ate, and conversations we had. For example, I would have forgotten that I got tired of visiting churches (“I was tired of being reverent and wanted to leave.”) and that I used to be young and carefree (“I’m kinda tired since we’ve been up until 3 a.m. People are generally good about remembering the big moments of trips but keeping a travel journal helps you remember details you might have forgotten otherwise. I started my first travel journal when I went to Portugal for the first time, and it has since become a regular practice. ![]()
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