Mummy and Me Journal

Recently, we've adapted bedtime at our house because Bear is not necessarily tired at the time we had, but The Cub is more than ready. Generally, I'm still solo parenting at bedtime, so for them to have separate bedtimes isn't really doable. However, we've found a little groove that works for us, it also means that Bear gets a little one on one time with me, or sometimes Daddy of he's back in time.

To add to this one to one time, I decided to introduce the idea of a Mummy and me journal for me and Bear to do a few times a week. Nights we haven't been too busy and he isn't too tired so that it doesn't lead to frustration... I want it to be pretty chill and fun, but to include some skills practice like his reading, writing and spelling, and to give some opportunities to get Bear talking about his emotions etc. A safe place to bring stuff up that maybe doesn't get the time it deserves during the day!

I will plan some stuff into this, but I'd like to keep it quite open so that conversation can flow and it can be a space for him to bring up anything he wants to talk about.

We went shopping this week and Bear chose us a hardback A4 journal after I discussed what we were going to use it for. He picked a beautiful star constellations print, which to be honest, would have been the one I'd have picked up too!

I got his pens out, as normally he would write in pencil, but we love out collection of Legami erasable pens which we buy from Waterstones, and I found an awesome "Cheat Sheet" that I printed, laminated and stuck in the front of the book for Bear to use as a reference point for his writing and spelling.

I introduced this one to one journaling time with Bear this evening after putting The Cub to bed. The beginning of this week has been a solo parenting few days with Daddy away with work, so Bear was very patient reading some books while I dealt with his brother, then very excited to see what I'd prepared for him today.

He made himself comfy and we did a front page where Bear wrote "Bear and Mummy journal" in different colours, and then I'd made up an "All About Me" sheet which I stuck on the first page for us to do tonight. We talked about Bear's favourite things to do, places to go, things to eat, toys to play with and he has done a mix of drawing and writing, even sounding out some of the words himself to spell them out, and doing really well with it too - this is not something we do much of yet. He is learning to read, so sounding out words he can see, but not really had much practice sounding out words he can say/hear. His attempts tonight were amazing!

His new kitty soft toy got involved at one bit as he wanted to draw her in one of the boxes, and we talked lots about his favourite things, and some of mine while he was drawing.

It really was lovely to spend a little time with him like this as we don't really get that while home educating. The three of us are always together, which, don't get me wrong, I love and is what I wanted for them. But for their sakes, I think finding the time for them to have one to one time with us is going to be a game changer for as they get older, giving them the space away from each other, and the quality time with either/both of us parents.

Journal nights won't be every night, partly because I don't want to be committing to the time every night, partly because there will be nights that I know that Bear will be too tired for it, and because I also like having time with him to read too! I'm aiming for a couple of times a week so that it doesn't get too much, and to keep the activities different so that it doesn't become a chore or boring for Bear.

Is this something you do with your children? I'd love to hear about some of the activities you've tried, or things you've incorporated into your journal...

Mama Bear x