Family Journals: Just 10 Minutes & 8 Steps to Capture the Craziness of Being a Dad! by Michael Kennedy

Like many parents do, I started writing to capture the funnier workings and inner dialogues of raising kids. Now that we have three littles younger than 10 years old, I barely have time to scrub the toothpaste out of the sink or pick the LEGOs out of my toes before a day is done and night turns to day again. I started an easy, fun handwritten kids' journal to track the smaller moments and details of our family world. I can't do it every day, but it’s always fun when I do it first thing in the morning, when I have clearance. Here are my eight steps:

• Don’t open laptop.
• Breathe, smile.
• Take a calming sip of beverage of choice.
• Open journal.
• Remember one story, a few lines or words about your family, either together or individual.
• Spend less than 10 minutes.
• Close book.
• Get back to the 100 or so other things that will fill your day. 

For me, it’s a present moment of gratitude. Over the past year we've been able to look back on the fun, crazy and silly little things in our daily life that you often may forget. Your kids will always have something that came out of your head, through your writing and onto a page.

Then just match up the dates with the 22,933 photos in your phone and come full circle!