I’m a baby book failure. And it’s not like I was even attempting “real” scrapbooking. I was using the simple fill-in-the-blank books. All I needed was a pen.
Exhibit A
My daughter’s baby book. Pretty good start collecting my firstborn’s milestones.
Exhibit B
My son’s baby book. Yep! Blank.
I’m a baby book failure. And it’s not like I was even attempting “real” scrapbooking. I was using the simple fill-in-the-blank books. All I needed was a pen. Look how that went. Remember Exhibit B?
Traditional baby books (at least my versions) have space to record all those special moments through the first five years. When my firstborn started school, it seemed like I’d been granted a reprieve. The baby book ended with the preschool memory pages. With the arrival of kindergarten, I could put those empty baby books aside. Out of sight. No guilt.
As kindergarten came to an end, the shame of not faithfully documenting my child’s life returned.
And so, thanks to the Internet, I stumbled upon the perfect solution: the end of school year letter.
What is this end of year letter concept all about?
- One letter for each school year.
- Written directly to the child.
- The highs and lows and in-betweens from the first day of school to the last.
My daughter will finish fifth grade this school year. And in June, I will write her sixth letter. Writing the letters allows me to reflect on all of my child’s experiences that year. I write about academics, out of school activities, and friendships. I retell special moments. But I don’t sugarcoat things. I’m honest about recalling the challenges and hardships that come with life. I also realize that these are my memories of their lives.
When my children graduate from high school, I will present them with their letters. All 13 of them, tied up with a ribbon. My gift to them: my perspective of their school years from day one through graduation.
All you need is three things: paper, a pen, and some uninterrupted time to write. I know you have the first two. Set aside some time for number 3. Seriously, do it.
By the way, my kids know nothing about these letters. It’s a secret. Don’t ruin the surprise.
