For Your Journal: Quarterly Recap

So … How’s your journaling?

Here’s a recap of the writing prompts we posted January through April  in case you missed one.

 

 

January
Pay attention to your surroundings and to those around you. The word will come to you. Write it down, define it, and describe why the word is important to you. Then, commit to re-examining your word at least once in 2013. Read the entire prompt here.

List all the places you’ve lived. Note your age and approximately how long you lived there, and then describe one memory from each home. Now, create a similar list with your children of the homes they’ve lived in. Read the entire prompt here.

Write about an argument you had with your child where your final retort was, “because I said so.” Describe both sides of the controversy but write your child’s version from his/her point of view. Read the entire prompt here.

 

February
How does your family determine its values and morals? What “story” do you tell? Are you part of the Faithful, the Engaged Progressives, the Detached, or the Dreamers? Read the entire prompt here.

Write about the movies you watch with your children. What makes a movie a childhood favorite: the message, the filming, or the script? Read the entire prompt here.

Draw a picture of your family. Is there a theme? Write about the similarities and the differences that exist between the members of your family. Read the entire prompt here.

 

March
Write about a time your child was a “curious George.” How did he/she show ingenuity, determination, and curiosity in learning and exploring the world? Did he/she get into trouble? Read the entire prompt here.

How did you know your preschooler was—or was not–ready for kindergarten? Write about a specific event that showed you “Yes, he/she is ready for school.” or “No, not yet. He/she isn’t quite ready for the formal classroom setting.” Read the entire prompt here.

No specific writing prompt today. Instead, grab a LARGE sheet of paper and a set of colored pencils, crayons, or markers. Read the entire prompt here.

 

April

Write an American Sentence to capture the highlight (or lowlight) of your last 24 hours. Read the entire prompt here.

Go to your bookshelf and write down eight or ten book titles. What patterns, images, and ideas emerge from the book spine words you’ve chosen? Write a poem, filling in additional words as needed, or breaking up book titles if necessary. Read the entire prompt here.

Choose a routine, day-to-day activity from your life as a parent — getting kids ready in the morning, school drop-off or pick-up, middle-of-the-night feedings, homework, naptime, bath time, bedtime – and write a short poem that takes the reader inside that routine/ritual.  Focus on the aspects of those interactions that are unique to you and capture your relationship with your child/children. Read the entire prompt here.

Using a line from any other poem you like, free-write for ten minutes about what the words stir up in you, how they reflect your experience, give you a new perspective or challenge you in some way. Read the entire prompt here.

Put a fruit or vegetable in front of you. Stare at it intently, not looking away, for five minutes.  Resist seeing it the way you have heard it described before.  When the five minutes are up, write three sentences about the object.  Read the entire prompt here.