Write this.

You know the Web site, Pinterest, where everyone "pins" everything under the sun from recipes, to crafts, to books, to pictures of beautiful locations, to design ideas, to even just pictures of shoes they love?  I seriously think there is a board or pin for EVERYTHING!   It really is amazing how you can put in a random word (any word) like "chair" and get thousands of ideas (step-by-step) on how to refinish one, different kinds of chairs, many examples of rooms with chairs in them, kid's chairs, rocking chairs, and so on.  The word "chair" alone will incite thousands and thousands of pins, all neatly organized.

So, I am on Pinterest just like the rest of the free world.  And, yes, I do enjoy repinning things from time to time.  I love all the ideas and get grand illusions of thinking I'll do them.  Ha!  Other than trying out one recipe, I haven't done any of them yet.  But boy am I ready to go if I decide to get going. 

I came across a pin recently that inspired me right away.  I don't think even 24 hours went by before I got my idea in action.   

Here was the pin as I saw it:

Mom and Me journal. Write letters back and forth with your kids. Ask a question, answer a question. Leave under their pillows...I love this idea.



I saw this and knew I had to do it with Ian. I couldn't wait to go out and get a journal for us to use. 

 

On the inside of the front page, I wrote the following:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

 

I write you little messages, or ask you questions, or maybe tell you something funny that has happened. 

 

I'll leave this for you under your pillow to find.

 

When you've read it, written something back to me, or maybe just draw me a picture, you can put it under my pillow for me.

 

This will be our journal to use.

 

Love, Mom

 

I wrote my first entry and put it under Ian's pillow that afternoon.  I was so excited for him to find it.  He had no idea I was doing this and I had visions of all this wonderful writing going back and forth between us.  This was going to be something special just for us.  I thought about the future and how if something was troubling him, it might make him feel better knowing he could write it down.  Or when something really cool happens, he'd have a place to document that too.  An opportunity for us to keep the "conversation" going when he gets too big to want to tell me everything, like he does now.  This journal wouldn't go back and forth between our pillows every day....maybe just one day a week or randomly when something comes up.

This was going to be our thing.  Just me and Ian. 

Ian found the journal and opened it.  He read my instructions page and my first entry.  Then he ran with the journal and put it back under my pillow (while I was in bed reading).  That was it.  Hmmm, ok, maybe I need to start off asking him a question or two so he'll know to use the attached pencil.  The next night I put the journal back under his pillow to find.  My entry asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up.  And then I also asked if  he could visit any state, which one would it be and why?  

Ian answered the questions and again, ran back with the journal to return it to me; trying very hard to be sneaky getting it under my pillow (again, while I am in bed reading).  There was no new entry with writing, questions, or a drawing back for me.  But we are making progress.  I think Ian is having fun with this and I will stick with it.   And if Ian ever feels inspired to do more than just read what I write or answer my questions, then he will have a place to do it.