Be Yourself

Journals for Catholic Girls and Boys by Amy Brooks

Be Yourself! A Journal for Catholic Girls on Amazon

Be Yourself! A Journal for Catholic Boys on Amazon

Swinging your feet from your tree fort, you pick up your pen and journal. Will you write or color today, or both? Quiet time is good, away from school, chores, and stress. Time to think is very valuable, and is something that everyone needs each day for a little while.

Do you, as a parent, remember having quiet time at your favorite place in the city, or in the country? Do you remember a life without constant screentime? I do. My generation is the last to remember growing up without technology, other than the TV and maybe a couple of rented movies for the Beta VCR. I remember life without a computer. Looking back on my childhood, I had time to write in my diary, walk in the woods, pick flowers with my mom, ice skate on a pond with my dad, and dream dreams both big and small. I had time to learn how to talk with God.

The best gift we can give our children besides love, and a relationship with God is quiet time. And one of the best ways to facilitate quiet time is to hand them an excellent journal. I can’t recommend the Be Yourself journals by Amy Brooks highly enough. There is one for girls, and one for boys, and my children enjoy them very much. (I never recommend anything that I haven’t read or used myself!)

For the word lover, there are saint quotes, lists, and picture bubbles to write in. For the artist or person who likes to color, there are gorgeous coloring pages that rival the best coloring books for adults out there. I probably own 10 coloring books myself, just in case I ever have time to color!

As we start the back-to-school time, journals are a great gift to remind our children that they are more than just chores, assignments, quizzes, and tests. They are growing persons who need time to find themselves, and to bond with their families and their Creator. Amy’s journals are a wonderful resource for your son or daughter to learn how to love, pray, think, and be themselves.

My 10-year-old son has already written about his summer vacation, and fun facts about himself. It makes my momma heart smile!