Journal prompts can be as simple as starting out. Think, "What made you smile today?" or, for the more dreamy, "If you had a superpower, which one would you choose and why?" The idea is to offer fun prompts that turn writing into a moment of play and discovery, far removed from schoolwork.
How a Simple Notebook Becomes Your Child's Best Friend
Navigating the great ocean of emotions isn't always easy when you're between 6 and 12 years old. That's where a diary comes in. More than just a notebook, it becomes a refuge, a secret place where your child can share their joys, fears, and dreams without fear of being judged. It's their secret garden, a space just for them to grow.
This seemingly simple habit is actually an incredible personal development tool. It helps children put words to sometimes vague feelings and, little by little, to better understand themselves. It's an essential first step toward good emotional intelligence, a key skill for their development.
A caring space to explore your emotions
A journal is like a silent confidant, always there to listen. Your child can write about an argument with a friend, the pride of finally getting through a math test, or the excitement building before their birthday. Simply writing these things down helps them process them better.
By asking him guided questions, like those found in the My Book Story notebook, you give him a little nudge to begin this inner exploration.
- Recognizing his feelings: Writing helps him identify and name what he really feels.
- Ease tension: Writing down your worries is liberating! It's a great way to calm stress or anxiety.
- Understanding others: By reflecting on his own emotions, he also learns to put himself in other people's shoes and develops his empathy.
Concrete example for parents: After a somewhat complicated day, ask a question like, "What emotion did you feel the most today? Draw it." This makes an abstract feeling much more concrete and easier for your child to manage.
Building Self-Confidence, One Page at a Time
Each filled page is a small victory. It's proof that he's capable of thinking, imagining, and expressing himself. It's this accumulation of small successes that, day after day, will fuel his self-confidence. The journal then becomes a record of his thoughts, his progress, and his good times.
Looking back on their writing later, a child can appreciate how far they've come. They realize they've overcome challenges, that their fears of yesterday are no longer those of today, and that their dreams are growing with them. It's a wonderful reminder of their own strength and ability to evolve.
Ultimately, journaling isn't just a hobby. It's a treasure trove he's building for the future. It teaches him that his inner voice matters and deserves to be listened to. This is arguably one of the most important lessons in building strong, lasting self-esteem.
Overview of questions by development objective
To help you get started, here are some question ideas categorized by what they bring to the child. This is a good starting point for adapting the practice to their current needs.
| Development objective | Sample question for your child | Benefit for the child |
|---|---|---|
| Self-confidence | What are you most proud of today? | Recognize your successes, even the smallest ones. |
| Emotional intelligence | If your day were a color, what would it be? Why? | Putting words and images to abstract feelings. |
| Creativity | Invent a different ending to a story you know. | Stimulate imagination and divergent thinking. |
| Gratitude | Name 3 little things that made you happy today. | Focus on the positive and cultivate an optimistic mindset. |
These are, of course, just examples. The most important thing is to have fun and keep the door open to all thoughts, without ever judging. The goal is for your child to take ownership of their notebook and make it a traveling companion.
Establish a writing ritual without any pressure
For your child to truly embrace their journal, it needs to be a pleasure, not just another chore. We know that the infamous blank page can sometimes be intimidating, even for older children! But by transforming this moment into a warm and relaxed family ritual, you'll make this notebook a true companion for them. The idea isn't to strive for perfection, but to cultivate the joy of self-expression.
The secret is to present writing as a game, a moment for yourself, a space for pure creativity. The goal is simple: for your child to associate their journal with a moment of well-being and total freedom.
Finding the perfect time for your family
The right time to write? It's whatever suits your child and your family dynamic. There's no magic formula. The important thing is to find a time when they can settle down, away from the hustle and bustle of homework or screens.
Here are some tips to help you find the perfect moment:
- Right after school: It's a great way to decompress. Instead of the classic "So, how was your day?", the journal gives him a space to really process events, both the good and the bad.
- Before dinner: A little quiet time that marks a welcome break before everyone gets together again.
- Bedtime: Nothing helps ease the transition to sleep like this. Writing a few words or answering a soothing question can help calm the flow of thoughts and prepare you for a good night's sleep.
Parenting tip: Consistency is more important than duration. Five minutes a day is already great. We're trying to create a habit, a small daily appointment that your child will come to look forward to.
Create an inspiring little writing corner
The environment makes all the difference. A dedicated space, even a simple one, can make the experience much more special and engaging. Consider creating a cozy, inviting corner that makes you want to settle in and create.
You don't need much for this. The trick is to make the materials irresistible. Provide colored pencils, glitter markers, fun pens, and stickers. The My Book Story notebook is designed for this, with plenty of spaces for drawing, which encourages them to express themselves beyond words.
Make this moment even more precious by participating in it, but not being intrusive. You can sit nearby with your own notebook or simply be there, present and calm. Your caring presence shows them that you value this time for yourself. This is how simple journal questions become a powerful ritual of connection and self-trust.
Exploring your emotions and building your confidence
This is where we get to the heart of the matter. To truly help your child develop their emotional intelligence and self-confidence, we need to go beyond simply asking, "How was your day?" The key is to offer journal questions that pique their curiosity and invite them to explore what they're really feeling, without filtering.
These questions are like little keys that open doors to his inner world, allowing him to put words or images to sometimes confusing emotions. The idea is to give him the tools to tame pride, sadness, anger, or joy, all in a creative and non-judgmental way.
Celebrating joy and pride
Recognizing your successes, even the smallest ones, is an incredible boost to self-esteem. These tips will help your child become aware of their accomplishments and savor the happy moments.
- What's the bravest thing you've done this week?
- Tell us about a time you made someone happy today.
- If your joy were an animal, which one would it be and why?
- What's the best thing that happened to you this month?
My parenting advice: When your child shares a success, celebrate it with them! Don't just say "that's good," but be specific: "It was very brave of you to speak in front of the whole class." This specific recognition gives weight to their accomplishments and builds their confidence.
Welcoming sadness and disappointment
It's equally essential to learn how to make space for less pleasant emotions. These questions create a safe space for him to express his sadness or frustration, without fear of being judged or misunderstood.
- If it were raining inside you today, what would have caused that rain?
- What might make you feel just a little bit better right now?
- Draw what you feel when something makes you sad.
- If you could talk to your sadness, what would you say?
As parents, our role isn't to "fix" our child's sadness, but to validate it. Something as simple as, "I see you're sad, and it's okay to feel that way," can be incredibly powerful. It teaches them that all their emotions are allowed to exist.
Understanding and Managing Anger
Anger is a powerful emotion, often overwhelming for a child. Helping them understand it is the first step in learning to manage it in a healthy way.
- If your anger were a monster, what would it look like?
- What sparked this strong emotion in you?
- What is one thing you wish you could shout out loud?
- Imagine you have a remote control for your anger. Which button would you press?
Developing these emotional skills is essential in a world where modes of expression are evolving. For example, the digital media market in France is expected to generate more than 15 billion euros by 2025 (source: the evolution of the media market on modelesdebusinessplan.com ). Learning to name your emotions on paper is a solid foundation before expressing yourself on other platforms.
Incorporating these journaling questions into a notebook like My Book Story transforms this activity into a true journey of personal development. Each answer is another building block in building your confidence and your ability to navigate the complex world of emotions with greater serenity.
Creative ideas to unleash your child's imagination
A journal isn't just a notebook to jot down secrets or recount your day. For a child between the ages of 6 and 12, it's much more than that: it's a blank canvas, a playground where their imagination can run wild. Our role as parents is to help them see their journal as a true creative space where anything goes.
Sometimes, the blank page can be intimidating. Drawing, collage, or inventing little stories are all keys to transforming journaling into a much more fun and personal adventure. It's by stepping outside the confines of pure writing that we unleash sometimes unsuspected creativity.
Ideas to help you flow
Instead of closed questions, offer them invitations to creativity. These are open-ended avenues, with no right or wrong answers, simply designed to spark their imagination.
Here are some ideas to help make her journal truly unique:
- Draw a map of a secret world that only you know. What do its landscapes look like? Who lives there?
- Invent a new holiday! What would it be called? What would be special about it?
- If your dreams had a door , what would it be like? Draw it.
- Imagine an incredible machine. What would it be used for? Draw up a detailed plan.
- Create a superhero that looks like you. What would their powers, costume, and mission be?
These ideas transform simple journal questions into a true creative quest. The important thing is not the end result, but the pleasure of creating and exploring imaginary worlds.
Art is a wonderful outlet for children. It allows them to express complex emotions they can't yet put into words. A drawing of a monster can hide fear, while a colorful landscape can reflect great joy. It's a way to communicate without filters, with complete sincerity.
Going further with collage and short stories
The journal can also become a sort of visual logbook, a scrapbook of their adventures and thoughts. Don't hesitate to encourage your child to stick them in and include all sorts of elements.
My parenting tip: Prepare a small "treasure box" next to their desk area. Fill it with old magazines, scraps of wrapping paper, ribbons, stickers, and even dried leaves or flowers collected during your walks.
Collage is a great way to tell a story in a different way. You can guide it with a few suggestions:
- Create a dream board: cut out and paste pictures of what you would like to do, see or become.
- Tell your day in pictures: use cutouts to illustrate the highlights, without writing a single word.
- Invent a character: Put together pieces of faces or clothes to create someone completely new, then imagine their life.
This approach makes the newspaper even more personal and engaging. Moreover, even in the digital age, paper retains a special place. In France, the regional daily press still circulated nearly 962 million copies in 2024, which proves our attachment to the physical format ( source: reader loyalty to the press on centrefrancepub.fr ).
Ultimately, the goal is simple: show your child that their notebook, like the My Book Story journal, is their space. They can write, draw, glue, scribble... The main thing is that they feel free and happy to express themselves.
The diary, a bridge to strengthen family ties
Your child's journal is their secret garden. It's a space that belongs to them, and it's crucial to respect it. But did you know that this habit, often solitary, can also become an incredible excuse to strengthen your bond? The idea isn't to be intrusive, but to transform writing into an opportunity for sharing and complicity.
It's not about reading over his shoulder, of course. The goal is rather to show him that, in your family, we love to share our stories and emotions. By creating small rituals around the journal, you're giving him a chance he may or may not take to open up to you.
The family gratitude journal: a bright idea
Here's a simple but truly effective idea: the "family gratitude journal." It's not your child's personal diary, but a shared notebook that you leave in a prominent place in a living room, such as the living room. Each evening, everyone can write down or draw a little something that made them happy during the day.
The benefits are multiple:
- Focus on the positive: It's a wonderful way to teach the whole family to see and enjoy the little joys of everyday life.
- Let's start the conversation: Discovering what others have written is often the starting point for great discussions. "Hey, did you enjoy playing with Grandma at the park? Tell me a little about it!"
- We make memories: Imagine the pleasure of rereading this notebook in a few months... A real treasure trove of happy moments shared!
This little ritual shows your child that expressing positive emotions is welcome and even celebrated by everyone. It's a gentle gateway to sharing.
Set up a time for sharing, without ever forcing it
You can also create an informal time where sharing is an option, but never an obligation. Why not establish a "pride time" once a week? Everyone, if they feel like it, can share something they're proud of: a page from their journal, a drawing, a story they've invented.
Parental advice: Let your child take the initiative. A sentence like, "If one day you want to read me a page from your My Book Story notebook that you particularly like, I would be very happy to listen to it," makes all the difference. You show them that you respect their inner world while remaining available.
This approach highlights his work and creativity, which is great for his self-confidence. He understands that his thoughts have value, not just for himself, but also for the people he loves.
Ultimately, these moments of connection around writing remind us how important places of sharing are. Think of newsstands in France, which attract nearly 20 million people and are true places of life and exchange (key data from newsstands on crdpresse.fr). By creating family rituals, you recreate this same spirit of sharing at home.
By adopting these few habits, journal questions no longer serve only to explore one's inner world. They become real bridges for building a strong family relationship, based on trust and respect.
Questions you may have about children's diaries
When you begin the journey of keeping a diary with your child, it's perfectly normal to have questions. This is new territory for both of you! Here are some answers to help you feel confident.
One of the first questions parents ask is, "How often should my child write?" The answer is simple: there are no rules! The goal is to make it a fun time, not a chore.
A few minutes each day is ideal for creating a small routine. But if your child prefers to do it two or three times a week, that's just as beneficial. The important thing is consistency and enjoyment, not performance.
How to maintain interest and protect your secret garden?
What if the initial enthusiasm wanes a little? It happens, and it's not a big deal at all. To boost motivation, mix things up! Suggest they try something different: a collage, a short comic strip, or a funny question for a change. Remind them that their journal is, above all, their playground.
The most sensitive issue, of course, is confidentiality. How can we guarantee that his diary will remain his? The answer can be summed up in one word: trust. The golden rule is to never, ever read it without his explicit permission.
By respecting his private space, you show him how much you trust him. It's a very powerful message.
This respect teaches him that his thoughts and emotions matter and deserve to be protected. This lays the foundation for solid self-esteem. With these tips, you'll see that journal questions become a powerful tool for watching him grow and flourish.
The My Book Story notebook is designed to make this practice a guided and fun adventure. Take a look and discover how it can help your child build confidence and develop their creativity by exploring the My Book Story notebook .