Remembrance Journals

November and December are hard months for our family. November my aunt passed away 4 years ago on Thanksgiving. It also happened to be Warrior's birthday. Then Dec 20th that same year my step father passed away. Then November the next year my grandma passed away. Then this past April my other grandma passed away.

Having so many deaths in a years time is hard on anyone, but its especially hard on kids.

My step dad's death was extremely hard on the kids. Not only was he their Papa, but also they were there and saw it all happened. I was an adult and had a hard time dealing with what I saw.

After that night I was trying to find ways to help the kids cope with what happened. I found this great journal for the kids - Angel Catcher for Kids: A Journal to Help You Remember the Person You Love Who Died. The kids loved being able to write memories they had with their Papa. They loved it so much they asked if they could have one for each person.

My dad and my husband's dad both passed away 17 years ago. 4 years before Warrior was born so they never got to meet any of their grandchildren. Even though Warrior never got to meet him, he's extremely sad about this. So many of the kids talk about things they did with their grandpa's and my kids don't get that. So we bought them each a journal just for their grandpas.

Instead of it being a remembrance journal they use it as a I wish I could journal.  They write about things they wish they could do with him or things they wish he was here to see.

They also have Good News journals where they share good news with our loved ones that have passed away.  Since they aren't able to call them up on the phone, they write to them in the journals instead. 

I did this after my dad died.  I had so many things I wanted to share with him but he wasn't here.  The psychologist that I was seeing suggested I do this.  I thought he was insane at first, but it was a great way for me to talk to my dad.  I still have the journal and the kids and I have read it together a few times. 

They also have the journals to write about what's going on with their dad.  Both kids love being able to talk to people about what's going on with their dad and the importance of organ donation, but they both are still kids.  They have times where they are angry and don't understand why this is happening to their dad and not someone else.  The journals help them get out the feelings they don't want anyone else to know they have.

I'm hoping when they are older they will be able to look back and see just how great they are and share these journals with their kids.