Importance of Journals for Teens
Expressing Yourself Through the Written Word
Journaling is a way to inspire yourself. It also gives you something to look at to remember important events in your life. Teach your teen the importance of journaling.
The history behind keeping diaries or journals goes back a long time. Millions of people, old and young, rich and poor, and famous and the not-so-famous, have relied on journaling for inspiration, creativity and support. Your teen will also enjoy journaling and will reap the benefits. Now is the time to encourage your teen to journal, and show her the importance of journals.
Getting a Journal
Your teen will certainly enjoy journaling if you make it an interesting and exciting adventure for her. Pick out a nice journal for your teen and encourage her to get started right away. It does not have to be fancy or expensive, just a place where she can write about her thoughts and ideas. Even boys can keep a journal-- it is not just a “girls” activity. You can find large and small journal and even some with and without lines.
Benefits of Journaling
There are many benefits to keeping a journal. Your teen can rely on her journal to write about daily activities, make plans and goals, or just vent about friends and frustrating situations. When your teen feels sad or unhappy, she may not feel comfortable about telling you, but may feel better if she can write about the situation in a journal.
Journals are also great for expressing creativity. Your teen may not write in it like a diary and that is okay, too. Some teens prefer to write fiction stories, draw sketches, write songs or poetry, or do a little of all of these things. When your teen takes the time to put thoughts to paper and pen, she is working out ideas that may be too difficult to express in words. In short, journaling gives your teen a wonderful creative outlet.
Keeping a current journal can also work in your teen’s favor by helping her to reduce stress. Your teen may not write in the journal every day, but will do so during times of stress. Getting thoughts and feelings out on paper is a wonderful way to work out anger, feelings of discontentment, and will lower the stress levels in your teen.
Lastly, a journal can help your teen reflect on personal growth and past experiences. This is vital to learning about oneself and can help your teen set future goals. Your teen may spend time reading past journal entries and will realize how much she has changed over time. When you encourage your teen to journal you are allowing your child to take part in a journey of self-awareness.
