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Dear Group Diary, Journaling is a very effective way for kids (or anyone) to let their emotions out on paper and process them, but it's private... My oldest son who is 30 now, still remembers a time I betrayed and hurt him. He was keeping a journal and while he was at school one day, I discovered it and read through a few pages and found out he liked a girl at church. I thought I could ask about it without him knowing I read his journal, but smart kid that he was/is, he knew. I tried to say I didn't read the journal, and that I was just asking questions and guessing, but he knew.... He stopped journaling after that, and it was my fault! I was young, thought it was cute, but without even realizing it, I took away my son's ability to journal until he left home. It no longer felt safe, and I have beat myself up about that so many times over the years. Maybe things would not have been so hard for him as a teen if I had not taken away a sacred place for him in childhood. My heart still weeps about it now. Thankfully I think he is journaling again as an adult in his own home, so I am happy he now feels safe to do so. Keep this in mind, especially if you are wanting your child to process their emotions and feelings in their journal... Your child will only be able to use journaling as an effective outlet if they feel secure that their journal is for their eyes only. If you can't make this promise of a safe, personal space for self-reflection, you can't expect your child to take on this type of journaling. However, you CAN let them know that they can bring their discoveries to you, they can share only what they want to share with you and that you will respect their privacy. Share your thoughts about the privacy of journals below. Sincerely, Shannon I would love to connect with you here or you can find me on Facebook here>>> Raising Kids to Handle Tough Emotions!

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