Raising kids these days seems to involve, among other things, mountains of stuff. And as we navigate family life and all those attendant belongings, it can be hard to find a balance.
Do we hold onto mementos that pile up at warp speed? (That adorable first outfit, a favorite lovey, beautiful book gifts, and so on…) Or do we declutter in real time, with the risk of finding that some metaphorical babies have gone out with the bathwater?
I’ve been thinking about this while clearing out my family’s beloved collection of picture books. We really, really like reading and have owned a lot of picture books. As in, a lot. With my youngest poised to enter middle school, it’s clearly time to purge all but a few very special ones.
Yet it’s been hard to let them go. There was so much of the toddlers and preschoolers my adolescents once were—and the young mother I was to them—wrapped up in those volumes. We certainly couldn’t keep them, but I hated to discard them without a trace. Filling boxes to donate, I imagined my kids someday recalling hazy memories of favorite stories but unable to find the titles.
And this, in turn, got me thinking about the great value of keeping a family reading journal. After all, when we record what we’ve read, we can capture the substance of our reading without storing physical books. We can consult the list years later to rediscover old reads, and even reacquire any we wish to read again from a library or bookstore.
There are many other benefits to keeping a family book journal, of course—encouraging conversation and connection, writing and deep thinking, and lifelong habits of reading and reflection. But my nostalgic side warms to the idea of pinning down those precious moments when my kids adored hearing stories that now barely rate as memories in their busy teen and tween worlds. Of storing those memories safely, ready to pull out and dust off down the line.
So that tops my list of reasons to keep a family reading journal with your children, although the others are at least as valuable.
4 Reasons to Keep a Family Reading Journal
Below are my top four reasons to start a book journal with your kids. But before we go through them, I just want to note that there are many ways to journal, so find what’s right for you.
Writing on paper—not your phone—is ideal with small children, but that can be as simple or creative as you like. Create a lovely paper journal if that’s your jam. Or just jot down notes together and then snap photos to preserve them in a digital album.
Ultimately, your journal—much like the books you share—is about the information and ideas it contains, not the vessel that holds them.
Whatever form you choose, write down the titles and authors of the books you read, the date you read (or finish) them, and you and your child’s reactions or thoughts. You might even include a couple of notes about their favorite character or a great quote.
1. Cherish the Memories Without the Clutter
As your child grows, you’ll move through hundreds of books. A family reading journal offers a beautiful balance between drowning under books (believe me, it’s a real possibility) and treating them like paper plates, swiftly discarded and even more swiftly forgotten.
Collect the memories of the stories you’ve shared without needing to keep the books themselves forever. Later, even without a house full of dusty shelves, you and your child can look back at the literary worlds you visited together—and even share them with the next generation.
2. Foster Special Moments and Deepen Reflection
Sharing a book with your child is already a special time, and adding a journal entry afterward can elevate it into a mini-ritual. Writing down both of your reactions, your child’s favorite elements, and thoughts about the story encourages reflection and conversation that builds your child’s brain and your connection.
It opens up the door to delving deeper and gives your child space to reflect and feel heard. What made them laugh? What made them think? How did you feel reading it together? You’re not just recording facts; you’re capturing emotions and insights that help develop empathy, curiosity, and critical thinking.
Just be sure not to force it or push too much. You don’t want the practice to backfire and make your or your child feel like story time is too much work or requires too much vulnerability. Make sure you allow both of you to sometimes just share a story on the fly, without a need to pull out your journal. Just journaling occasionally or about favorite stories is fine.
3. Encourage Writing and Self-Expression
Keeping a family reading journal can also be a lovely, fun way to encourage your child to work on their writing. You’ll want to take on the journal-writing duties at first, recording the details of books you share. As your child grows, give them opportunities to write the titles or author names.
Eventually they can take on writing up their reactions or thoughts on the books. This will encourage your child to develop their writing skills and self-expression. With a bit of luck, it may even fuel a habit of reflection and journaling that can support mental health, self-awareness, and deep thinking as they grow into young adults.
4. Create a Keepsake for the Future
One day, this journal can be a precious window into your child’s early years. Beyond the photos and report cards, a family reading journal can give a rare glimpse into their developing mind and heart. It will be a keepsake filled with the books that shaped their childhood, their budding opinions, their sense of humor, and your shared experience as a family.
Imagine your grown child flipping through your old reading journal, rediscovering the books you loved together. They may one day share these very same titles with their own children, reading aloud the stories that once filled your living room with laughter and wonder. The journal can become more than a personal memory—it can be a legacy, a bridge between generations built on shared stories and family traditions.
