It’s no secret – today’s parents are busy. When you’re juggling careers, family obligations and some semblance of a personal life, finding time to keep a baby journal can seem almost laughable. Luckily, today’s journals don’t require a pen and paper. Online baby journals have opened up an entirely new way to record your baby’s milestones, making it easier than ever to keep your baby journal up to date. With a good online journal, like Kidmondo, and these five tips, you’re sure to have a baby journal that has more stories in it than it does blank pages.
- Determine a posting schedule that fits your lifestyle: One of the problems with traditional baby journals is that they cater to a specific posting schedule. Whether they’re set up for weekly updates or monthly updates, there isn’t a lot of leeway when you miss a post, leaving you with yet another blank entry. Online journaling, however, gives you the freedom to create a posting schedule that fits your personal lifestyle. Before you start your journal, figure out what you have time for in terms of posting. That may mean jotting down a quick post every few days, composing a weekly recap, or sitting down to update on a monthly basis. The key is finding a schedule that you can easily maintain.
- Make posting a part of your “To Do” list: Just like “go to the grocery store” and “doctor’s appointment at 3PM Friday” make it onto your “To Do” list, so should posting. You’ll find it much easier to maintain a consistent schedule when you have something written down that reminds you it’s time for a post. When it’s time to post, fight the urge to just “do it later” and actually sit down to write. Once you’re done, you’ll have the satisfaction of being able to mark one more thing off your “To Do” list and you’ll have kept your promise to keep that baby journal updated.
- Take notes along the way: Life happens in the blink of an eye, and without any system in place to preserve memories you’re likely to forget all of the little things that make watching your child grow up such a fun experience. To combat this, put your smartphone to use! As soon as you snap a picture or video of your little one laughing uncontrollably as he stares at himself in the mirror, jot down a quick note with the date and a short description of what’s happening. You’ll never forget those little memories that make big impressions again, and it’ll make posting a breeze.
- Let your pictures do the talking: They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so when you’re short on time or want to get a quick post up, let your pictures do the talking for you. Each week or month gather up your favorite pictures and compile them into a photo montage. The beauty of an online journal is that you don’t have to waste time or money getting the pictures printed – simply upload them from your phone or camera to your computer and post away.
- Open up posting to other family members and important people in your child’s life: You may be your child’s best friend and idol, but you aren’t the only person who touches their lives. Having an online journal means that you can let anyone and everyone special to your child add in their own memories, so take advantage of that! If your little one spends the weekend with Grandma, have her type up a post detailing their adventures. Having multiple people contribute to your journal gives it depth, and since it’s online people can contribute with ease.
Online baby journaling has made it easy to keep your baby’s journal current, and following these five tips means you’re sure to have a baby journal that you and your child can look back on throughout the years and reminisce over – no blank pages included.
Michelle LaRowe is a mom, parenting author, and the editor-in-chief of Longhorn Leads, parent company of KidMondo, www.KidMondo.com, one of the first online baby journals. Visit www.Kidmondo.com and start chronicling your baby’s major milestones and everyday moments for free!