journaling for kids and teens
We have talked before about the health benefits of journaling. Today, we want to go deeper into the subject and look at the benefits in terms of kids and teens.
If you’re reading this as an adult, think back to your teenage and kid selves. Were you stressed? Did you have feelings and emotions that you felt you couldn’t convey to others? Did you question who you were and who you were becoming? Did you have experiences that helped define who you are now? Chances are, you answered at least one of those questions with a yes, and if you did, you can see how journaling can benefit kids and teens going through those same issues.
The same reasons that adults benefit from journaling are the same reasons that kids do. I write now because writing reminds me who I am and what I want. I write to vent my frustrations and to build my dreams and goals. Writing these down centers me, gives me focus, and eases any anxiety, stress, or worry that I had. That being said, I did not write when I was younger, at least not to the extent that I write now. Thinking back to my high school years, I wish that I had. I feel that I can honestly say that I have never been more stressed than I was in my junior year of high school, and I know now, after learning how to manage and accept my stress better, that I would have benefitted from journaling during that time, even if it was just once a week.
Here are some reasons why kids and teens would benefit from journaling:
- Provides an outlet for feelings and emotions that they’re uncomfortable expressing to an adult or don’t know how to express
- Promotes creativity, abstract thought and analytical thinking, skills they will use throughout their adult lives
- Helps to process thoughts and ideas that they are working through
- Gives them a way to get to know themselves better, especially during a time when they’re trying to figure out who they are
- Reduces stress by being a safe, unjudged place for them to express themselves
- Helps with their writing skills overall, resulting in greater comfort in writing for school projects
- Reminds them who they were when they look back on their journals as adults
There are multiple ways to encourage the kids and teens in your life to start journaling. You can take them to the store so they can pick out their own beautiful journal. You could check out tutorials and make one a journal together. You can use prompts or quotes to help them get started. You can find a ton of prompts online, and we encourage you to consider ours. There is also a multitude of journals with prompts already printed in them that you can find pretty much anywhere you buy blank journals. Check out some of my favorites here, here, here, and here. Be sure to read the description and reviews to make sure they’ll be right for you and the kids you’ll give them to!
There are some kids that could benefit from deeper, more therapeutic prompts. Art with Heart is a non-profit that develops journals for kids and teens going through illness, divorce, violence, or the loss of someone important to them. Check out their website to get more info and see the journals they have available. ParentMap also has a great article that covers this same topic, so check it out if you want to read more about how journaling benefits kids and teens.
Did you journal as a kid or teen? How did it benefit you? What are some benefits you can see for kids and teens who journal?
