​

Prepping your KIDDO:

​

1. Get excited and let them know “your journal is here!”

2. Choose a special pen or pencil to use 

3. Give your journal a “home” where it’s easy to see and won’t get lost

4. Decide on a time they want to do the journal each day

5. Ask them when they would like to start

​

Prepping YOURSELF:

​

1. “How To” pages. The first few pages of the journal will walk you through how to use it with demonstrations on sample pages. Glancing through it ahead of time will give you the confidence to get started; the sample pages are there to be your guide so you know exactly what to do. 
    

2. Be Open. A journal is a window into how someone thinks and feels- even children! Some answers may surprise you or even make you feel sad. That’s ok. The goal is for them to express themselves. When they are letting emotions out, the journal is working! We don’t own journals to suppress our inner thoughts; we write in journals to explore emotions and feelings that sometimes we don’t even realize we have. So anything that they express is a WIN!
    

3. Digital Access. Here are the digital versions of the “How to use” section if you want to check it out before it hits your mailbox.

​

​

​

Week 1 Prep

​

The Low Down

• Activity 1 is a CONVERSATION with your kiddo about “WHAT LOVE MEANS?”

​

Let’s Prepare You

• To get yourself in the right mindset, start thinking about what love means to you. What do you love about yourself on the inside and the outside? What do you love about your kiddo on the inside/outside? 

 

If You Get Blocked 

• Some of our families have shared that their children couldn’t think of anything they loved about themselves. Another shared that their child started naming their favorite toys or other people they loved. Remember to enter with NO judgments and no expectations. Only presence and observation. Just take it for what it is and keep going. 

• Here are some suggestions for what you can say if you get stuck: 

💛“You know something I love about you? I love your cute nose. What is something on your body that you love?”

💛“I think you have the best giggle. Do you like to hear yourself laugh?”

💛“You know how you like to help me make lunch? I just love that about you. You’re so helpful! Do you love that about yourself too?”

​

​

​

Week 2 Prep

​

The Low-Down

 

• Activity 2 involves NATURE. If you can get outside, great! If not, be sure to sit by a window for this week’s activity. ☀️ 

 

Let’s Prepare You

 

• This week your child will learn that kind words actually help plants grow! There are 2 ways to do this activity: 

 

1) Think of a place nearby that has plants for you and your child to go and look at – even if it’s just in your own neighborhood! Take a 10-minute walk with your kiddo and point out some plants. Give them the confidence to tell a flower that it’s beautiful, or thank the trees for giving them shade in the Summer. 

 

–0r–

 

2) See if you can spot any flowers or trees outside while sitting by a window. Ask them what they would say to that plant to help it grow! 

There is no wrong way to do this. 🌸

​

​

​

Week 3 Prep

​

The Low Down

​

• Activity 3 can be done ANYWHERE! You will READ the story of Dina and discover how she learned to love her tiny size! 🐭

Let’s Prepare You

​

• Find a spot to kick back and read with your kiddo. This cute story is about a mouse who didn’t love her size in the beginning, but a tiny little bread crumb in a tiny little crack helped her realize that her little self had big potential!

If you want to listen to the story, click here for an audio version! 🎧
 

​

​

Week 4 Prep

​

The Low-Down

 

• This week you will be READING another story.  We hope you can read it OUTSIDE or sitting by a window together.📖 

 

Let’s Prepare You

 

• In your journal, you will read Mister Desert and Lady River. This story is about a thirsty camel who asks the Desert to help her find water. The Desert leads her to Lady River. The thankful camel asks Mister Desert an important question and Mister Desert has an even more important answer. 🐪  

 

If you want to listen to the story, click here for an audio version! 🎧

​

​

​

Week 5 Prep

​

The Low-Down

 

• This week you get to TAKE A WALK together again. Let your child’s heart lead the way! 💛

 

Let’s Prepare You

Think back to last week when you read the story about the camel listening to the whispers that Mister Desert put in her heart. This week you will help your child listen to their own heart to make choices on where you will be headed during your walk. 👣

​

​

​

Week 6 Prep

​

The Low-Down

 

• This week you will help your child FOCUS ON BEING TRUE TO THEMSELVES. Sometimes other people may say something that we disagree with. Your child will learn that listening to their heart will always serve them best. 💜

 

Let’s Prepare You

 

• There is a short story in the journal about a girl named Reya who makes a brave decision for herself. Read the story to your kiddo and then talk about it together. Answer the questions following the story. 📖

​

​

​

Week 7 Prep

​

The Low-Down

 

• This week's journal activity is different than any of the other weeks but just as important. This week your kiddo (and YOU) gets to FOCUS ON SPECIFIC PARTS OF THEMSELVES THAT THEY LOVE! Don’t forget to be goofy and have fun! 💛 

 

Let’s Prepare You

 

• You’ll need to find the biggest mirror in your home to stand in front of so that you can see as much of yourselves as possible.

• You will help your child think of reasons to love specific body parts so they become aware of all the awesome things their body is capable of! 🙌🏾

​

​

​

Week 8 Prep

​

The Low-Down

 

• This week has two short-and-sweet parts to it. Ideally, both activities will take place OUTSIDE but even if you can’t get out, no worries! A WINDOW is a great place to do these things as well. ☀️

 

Let’s Prepare You

 

• There is a short story about a boy who discovers that loving himself is more important than other peoples’ opinions about him. Talk about how the story made your child feel and answer the questions about love and kindness in the journal. 

• Next, you’ll want to sit outside with your child (or by a window) and focus on how being outside in nature makes you feel inside. What are some of the things you FEEL, HEAR, or THINK about when you’re outside? 🌿

​

​

​

Week 9 Prep

​

The Low-Down

 

• This week your child will do a simple form of MEDITATION. (Don’t worry- this is easy and the simple steps are listed below.) You’ll be outside with your kiddo again, enjoying the magic of nature as they calm their minds. 🌿

 

Let’s Prepare You

 

• You and your child can find a nice place to sit OUTSIDE together. You (the grown-up) will need a timer. 

• You’ll be doing mindful breathing and repeating positive affirmations in your head as the timer counts down. (Positive affirmations can be found on page 121 in your journal.)

• Afterward, don’t forget to have a discussion together about the experience.

​

​

​

Week 10 Prep

​

The Low-Down

 

• A VISION BOARD can help remind us of our goals and also show us how far we’ve come! We wanted to emphasize how incredible your child is as we head into our last week together by creating a simple version of a Vision Board. 💛

​

Let’s Prepare You:

 

• As you wrap up your journaling experience, your child will be writing down some of the positive affirmations they’ve discovered on a piece of paper so that they are reminded every single day of how amazing they are. 🖍 

​

Don’t forget that YOU, the parent, are amazing as well! You put in the work to help your child discover their special qualities and we hope you realized how awesome you are, too. 💛

​

​