March 5 - Deciding to journal

Of all the things my daughter has expressed interest in, I didn't really expect her to want to write. All children want to emulate their parents, I get that. But, writing?  I teach writing to more than 900 students in an elementary school, and it is very rewarding to see them be excited about writing.

My wife and I have tried to expose our daughter to various things, like playing on the lake, swimming, tubing, boating, cooking, all the things that we do ourselves in our lives.  Our daughter, Rebecca, or "Becca" as she likes to be called, has wanted to do everything we do.

Knowing that her father writes, and spends time typing on the computer, or putting things down in a journal, has given her an insight into writing. So, the other day she expressed a desire to keep a journal, "One that I can write in Daddy!"  I explained that she had already started journaling in notebooks by scribbling and drawing at age 5, which by the way, is perfectly natural for a developing writer. Now 7, Becca actually wants to write!

She found a black composition book in my classroom the other day and absconded with it. By hiding it in her backpack, she actually thought she could sneak it home.  Not wanting to keep it hidden for very long, she showed it to me and asked, "Will you teach me how to write in a journal?" What would any father say to that?