It’s about time I give you an insider look at the Daily Journal: For Young Aspiring Writers & Thinkers which were added to the Antibland Bookshop earlier this year.
A couple of years ago, while reading E. B. White’s The Trumpt of the Swan to my kids, I absolutely positively fell in love with the little boy Sam Beaver who writes in his journal each night, ending the entry with one question that he wondered about that day.
Sam and his habit of daily journaling stuck in my brain so fiercely that I became consumed with the idea of replicating it for my kids. I bought them new notebooks and pens, and when that didn’t really go anywhere I bought them various children’s journals sold in stores. Well, I could have saved that money too because plan B didn’t stick either.
I gave up on buying things, and simply just begged for them to write something, anything, each night so that we can all read it together one day when you are older (which is a terrible incentive for kids, let it be known).
I gave up entirely eventually, but the image of Sam and his journal didn’t quite leave my brain. There had to be a way to get kids excited about journaling and I was determined to find it.
Trial and error over many months eventually resulted in the Daily Journal:For Young Aspiring Writers & Thinkers that I share with you today. It comes in three color variations (pink, blue, black & white) and in both soft and hard covers. It is large to accomodate for all types of hand writing and doodling (over 8×11). It is 100 pages. Each one filled with a unique prompt that takes many different variations. What they share in common is whimsey with a bit of direction so that it isn’t a blank page staring back at you.
I consulted Asha and Arjun over and over again incognito, asking questions that didn’t hint at all about writing or journaling, but simply at topics, themes, jokes, ideas, and styles that were interesting to them. If they shared a story about their day, I listened and took notes about the details they choose to tell me. You know, real detective work!
When prints of the journal finally arrived home, I was thrilled beyond belief at the outcome. My excitement for something is directly propotional to how much my kids complain about that thing. Thusly, I just handed the kids a copy without any commentary at all. I just walked away and let them be for days!
I finally checked-in with them last week. They both had written in it almost daily (!!!). I asked if they would feel comfortable with the idea of me sharing a couple of their pages here – and they said yes! So now I’ll stop talking and let them do the showing:
I was quite speechless when I opened the journals. My expectations had been surpassed!
Some friends who are trying the prototype have reported back sharing their strategy – cuddle in bed together and finish a page before bed daily. Another mom mentioned that she wishes she had a copy of her own too to complete along side her kids because she found the prompts relevent too!
So that’s the story. I am so proud of these journals and hope that they are the first step in encouraging our children to make writing and journaling a lifelong habit. A keepsake made of words and doodles. So that we can all read them together when they are older – JUST DON”T TELL THEM THAT!
Raleigh frends, I am happy to report that you can find these journals at two of my favorite stores: The Flourish Market at 307 West Martin Street and Edge of Urge at 215 East Franklin Street. Please swing by and see these journals in person.
For those not in Raleigh, they are also sold on Amazon (just search Chika Gujarathi and they’ll pop up). You can see more pictures of the inside pages if you just visit the SHOP page on this website.
Thank you for endulging me with my long stories. And I really really really really hope you buy these journals for your young thinkers and writers too.
Good Day. Bad Day. Always Happy To be Here Day!
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