I think today is the day I may finally earn the coveted title of "meanest mom".....for perhaps the 1,000 time! For FHE this week we talked about an article in the New Era about recording your family stories. I decided that the kids were going to start keeping a journal and we were going to have; "mandatory journal writing sundays". That's the official title we've given this. Oh the groans and complaints.
While we were at the store gathering our mandatory massive list of school supplies, I had the kids pick out something to use for a journal. MJ was the only one who decided to use the computer and the others wanted to handwrite in something.
I am having an activity with my yw later in the month and they chose using a 3 ring binder with sheet protectors for journaling. They chose this approach so they had somewhere to keep all the handouts they get at church or notes they get from friends or loved ones, certificates, newspaper clippings etc... They can also easily add either a typed page they write or put in a handwritten journal entry. It's the perfect system while you are trying to discover your journal writing style that will be the most effect for you.
None of my kids chose this approach :)
So, today is Sunday and it was also fast Sunday. Not a good combination when everyone is already grumpy about what mean ole mom wants them to do. We decided to wait until after I took a nap and we broke our fast. Because a grumpy Mom is not a patient mom especially when met with equally grumpy kids.
I was still met with, "what the heck am I supposed to write about?"
Jared started channelling his inner pioneer and started talking with an accent and asking for some ink and a quill. Then he started quoting Einstein "the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." Perfect! Get that imagination working and come up with something to write about.
Jared was so into the project that he even wrote an introduction to his journal before his first entry, which he also wrote today. I have no idea what it says because "unless we are his grandchildren and he is dead, we cannot read it!"
MJ was not happy about the process and thought she wanted to just do a blog like I do, but I was having trouble finding where the security features were to block it from being public. I ended up just having her write on a word document until I could figure it out or she thought she was ready for the blogging world.
Ethan and Jordyn were eager to show me their work. I was able to have them expand a bit on what they wrote and they were both pretty cute. They both mentioned the fact that it was mom forcing them to write.
Dad read the church news and acted as the enforcer when the kids tried to leave.
It was a bit of effort to get everyone to write. At one particular point when the whole idea seemed like it was going to be an epic failure, I looked up and saw the above quote that is in my kitchen. The journey is where the fun is, even if it doesn't look like we are having any fun at the moment. Sometimes the kids get mad at me if I enjoy a situation too much....apparently it may start to look like mocking. Me? Mock? Never! ;)
Just because something is hard, doesn't mean you don't do it and that it won't be worth it. Just like when I first started giving our darn cat regular baths. The first couple times were pure torture, but then there was acceptance. I wouldn't say we've reached the joy part yet, but it could happen.
I can't wait to see how this goes next Sunday :0)
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