• START HERE
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • SHOP
  • CONTACT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

CHALK Academy

  • PARENTING
    • ANTI-RACISM
    • HEALTH
    • HOMESCHOOL SCHEDULE
    • INTERVIEWS
    • POSITIVE PARENTING
    • REFLECTIONS & FAITH
  • ORGANIZATION
  • TEACHING TIPS
    • Raising Multilingual Kids
    • Verbal
    • Reading
    • Writing
    • Math
  • ACTIVITIES
    • Animals
    • Clothing & Textiles
    • Colors
    • Earth & Solar System
    • Food
    • Holidays
      • Birthday
      • Chinese New Year
      • Valentine’s day
      • Easter
      • Mother’s Day
      • Father’s Day
      • Dragon Boat Festival
      • Mid-autumn festival
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
      • Dongzhi Festival
    • Me & My Body
    • Math
    • Nature
    • Seasons & Time
    • Shapes
    • Sports & Recreation
    • Transportation
  • CHINESE RESOURCES
    • ACTIVITIES
    • APPS & GADGETS
    • BOOKS
    • DICTIONARIES
    • MUSIC
    • TOYS & GAMES
    • VIDEOS
  • Korean Resources
    • ACTIVITIES
    • ALPHABET
    • BOOKS
    • DICTIONARIES
    • MUSIC
    • TOYS & GAMES
    • VIDEOS
You are here: Home / Our Journey / Memory Journal with Letters to Our Children

Memory Journal with Letters to Our Children

By Betty
November 21, 2019

21 Nov
184shares
  • 183
Memory Journal with Letters to Our Children: Timeless Meaningful Gift Idea

I have very few items from my childhood and have learned not to be too sentimental. The exceptions are family photos and random notes from my parents.

These notes weren’t for me per se. After my parents died, I found my dad’s 1-page inventory of the few things we owned when immigrating to the US.

From another notebook, I saw my mom comparing the costs of hotels for a vacation she never took.

Related: Learning How to Declutter After My Immigrant Mother’s Sudden Death

Each forgotten paper scrap gives me glimpses of my parents’ life, pieces of a conversation that I wish we could have today.

I wish I could ask about how they coped or struggled with parenting in a new country with no help.

Were they happy or sad?

Did they pray?

Who were their first friends?

What would they do differently in hindsight?

Memory journal with letters to children: free, meaningful holiday or birthday gift
Journal & rainbow scarf

Now my oldest child is 6, and she constantly requests stories from my childhood.

What were my parents like, the grandparents that she would never meet?

A journal of tangible memories

Knowing that inevitably all memories will become hazy, my husband and I started a journal of letters to our daughter.

We wanted to create something that she could have, hold, and remember when we are no longer here someday.

To tell her about things that made us laugh and cry, to tell her what we learned with her and little brother.

And to write it by hand, because there’s something comforting about seeing handwriting from someone you know.

Related: How A Dictation Journal Improves Speaking, Reading, and Writing (VIDEO)

Memory journal – it doesn’t have to be perfect

The original plan was to write a message in the journal every year on her birthday.

In reality, except for her 1st and 6th birthdays, we have not followed any schedule!

And we have yet to start a memory journal for our son…I know, sorry dear second child.

There’s still time as this is a gradual, long-term project.

Initially, we imagined sending our children off to college with their memory journals.

For our daughter’s 6th birthday, we changed our mind and gave it to her.

Maybe she’ll want to reply back in the memory journal, maybe not.

Memory Journal with Letters to Our Children: Timeless Meaningful Gift Idea

Most of our letters are in English because that’s our family language, the best way we can express ourselves.

However, I did write one entry in Chinese, which I hope our children will still be able to read decades down the road.

Writing in Chinese is also risky, because I am not fluent. I’m prone to grammatical errors and forgetting important strokes.

But I want my children to see and remember the humble mistakes.

I want them to know that we have learned hard things together and persevered with faith in our almighty God.

Do you keep a memory journal?

Do you save notes from your family and friends?

Is this a tradition that you would start with your children?

I’d love to hear your story. If you feel comfortable sharing, please leave a comment below!

More insights from our Family Language Journey

  • Raising Multilingual Children as a Non-Fluent Parent: 7 Lessons Learned
  • Auntie’s Advice on Accents: Be Patient, and Take the Time to Listen
  • Redefining Mother’s Day with My Parents’ Language
  • Faith, Hope, and Love in a Foreign Heritage Language
  • Learning How to Declutter After My Immigrant Mother’s Sudden Death

Other gift ideas for kids

  • Best Montessori Inspired Educational Toys and Homeschool Materials on Etsy
  • 10 Best Open-Ended Toys That Promote Creativity and Learning
  • Handmade Cards for Reading and Writing Practice (English, Chinese, and Korean)
  • 5 Reasons Books are the Best Gifts for Multilingual Kids
  • Ultimate Chinese Gift Guide for Kids: Cultural, Educational, & Fun Toys

Let’s stay in touch

As always, let me know if you have any questions in the comments. I’ll try my best to answer them!

Follow me on Facebook where I share my latest posts as well as favorite articles about children’s education, Chinese resources, and hands-on activities!

On Instagram, I share activity highlights and how we integrate learning Chinese & Korean (minority languages) in our daily life.

And I’d love to chat more with you about favorite books at @chalkacademybooks!

Thank you for being here, friends!

6 Comments

About Betty

I'm a Chinese-American mom who is having fun teaching my children Mandarin Chinese while re-learning the language myself. I love coming up with creative, hands-on, and educational activities, and I hope these ideas help your children have fun learning Chinese!

« The Fall of Freddie the Leaf 一片叶子落下来 Book Review & Activities
Inspired by Her Child, An Author Writes Chinese Books with Pinyin and English »

Comments

  1. Brittany says

    December 1, 2019 at 6:23 pm

    This is neat. I actually gave my husband a journal on our wedding day that we write letters to each other in randomly. A fun day memory, or a love note, or just something funny that we said. And we pass it back and forth. I hadn’t thought about doing this with our kids. So special! Thanks for the idea!

    Reply
    • Betty Choi says

      December 3, 2019 at 10:27 am

      Hi Brittany! Thank you for reading and sharing your special journal idea with your husband! I’m so inspired that you have you have kept up with it. Appreciate your idea in return! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sharples says

    October 7, 2020 at 5:00 pm

    Hi, I also journal all my kids funny sayings, big achievements, sad moments anything that I think of for that day. I highlight main things about my husband and me; where we are working, living, etc. Because, when you look back you forget all the funny things your kids say. I keep the journals for all the kids but in one journal, kind of like the the president does!
    .

    Reply
  3. Lori says

    December 8, 2020 at 9:43 am

    What a sweet idea!! Thank you. My daughter is turning 6 soon. How fitting. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Qian Feng says

    December 8, 2020 at 9:43 am

    I keep a journal to record since my daughter was born.At first, it was my way to cope my anxiety as a first time mom. Later i thought it would nice to be a memory for my daughter’s childhood. As mandarin is my first language, I write mostly in mandarin hoping that one day she will keep learning Mandarin to know her childhood 🙂

    Reply
  5. Sharples Mancini says

    December 8, 2020 at 5:05 pm

    I have a similar journals that I have done since 1997 capturing all my kids funny savings and happenings. I write in it when I feel like it or when something occurs like; the prom, first date, first day of school, etc. My husbands sister recommended it for me when I had my middle child. Instead of journals per child, I keep one ongoing with all the kids making sure once a year I capture the major things for even my husband and me. I picture myself older when the kids have flown the coop, rereading all my writings. I also have prayer journals that I put a picture of my favorite person and recap why they are special and include scriptures. Down the road when I’ve passed on, my kids can read about their lives and mine. 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Dr. Betty Choi CHALK Academy - 2

Hi! I’m Betty, a Chinese-American mom, believer, pediatrician, and writer.  I’m having fun learning Chinese with my children, and I love sharing multilingual resources and teaching tips!  I hope these ideas can help your family or school! Read More…

ENCOURAGING RESPONSE FROM A LIBRARIAN

Make a Difference with This Email to Your Child’s Teachers and Librarian

Children's Picture Books That Celebrate Asians in Chinese and English

100 Picture Books That Celebrate Asians in English and Chinese

Picture books about Chinese and Taiwanese Americans for Kids

50 Picture Books About Chinese and Taiwanese Americans for Kids

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any content without express and written permission from CHALK Academy is strictly prohibited.  Excerpts, pdfs, images, and videos may be used only with permission, provided that full and clear credit is given to CHALK Academy / Betty Choi with appropriate and specific direction to original content.

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe
授人以鱼,不如授人以渔。
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day;
Teach a person to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
COPYRIGHT CHALK ACADEMY 2017 - 2021

Powered by Easy Cloud Solutions
184shares