Journal

K.,

What a great idea you have. I'm like you, I think journals are best kept private even though I know that now days some people like to blog and share their stories. You could keep an MS file and add your updates as you make them and back up to a flash drive or a disk. The only problem with technology is how quickly it changes. The way you are storing your information now will likely not be the same 10 to 15 years from now so you need to be alert to constantly updating your information to the most current technology. If you don't you may end up with a wonderful life journal with no way to access it or for your son to access years later. I have kept book journals all my life. I started as a child and have kept them off and on for about 40 years
and love to go back and read them. I also started one for my children but unfortunately it took a different track. Good luck to you I hope you keep it up.

S.

Hi K.,
I like www.multiply.com I have been on for a while but I have a friend who invited me to her site first. It's more grown up focused as opposed to some others out there. You can check my site out, all though I haven't spent very much time on it yet, my business is called Amazing Glaze Pottery. My friend has put quite a bit of time into hers. She's a chef and gives us recipes and pix from her kids' cooking classes and camp stuff. Such a fun way to keep in touch. Good luck,

E.

Well we have a new Vice President. As to your question why not just go into a word program and save it onto your computer and a backup device such as a usb. You can make as many copies as you like and keep them, at least one, in a different location for safty sake. We are hearing our 44th President speak to us.

A.

You can try mylivejournal.com I think there's a setting where you make it private and if ppl want to see you have to accept them as a buddy first.

Hi K.,

I don't have any advice on where to keep your journal...but I just felt the need to throw my 2 cents in on the actual journal. Please please please, think through what you write in it and whether you will ever let your son read it or not.

The reason I say this is because my mother kept a journal on me and my sister. She still does actually. However, she writes about EVERYTHING. Not just the good times...but bad times, fights, embarrasing things I would rather forget. Nothing is private and nothing is sacred. In addition, she always told us that we could read these journals whenever we wanted to, since they were about us. Of course curiosity got the better of us and we did. It was the most horrifying thing I have ever done. To read these things and relive some of those incidents was not what any child should do. Quite frankly, it only served to weaken an already shaky mother-daughter relationship.

I'm sure your intentions are very good. I keep a calendar on my daughter, writing down new skills she learns and fun days we've had. I just want to caution you to keep your journal fun and positive. Even if you never intend for your son to read it... he could find it. So, only write things in there you would WANT him to read... or that you would want to read if you were him.

I think it's a great thing to write down our childrens lives and accomplishments. Sometimes people just take things too far.

Good luck. I hope your journaling is a wonderful experience and you can look back in the future with joy on how your son has grown through the years.

Hi Kim
I am a computer instructor, desktop publisher and graphic artist. (Just a little background!)
I would recommend that you use a word processing program like MS Word and save it to your computer. That way it is handy for those quick moments you want to record your own history! In addition, be sure to save a backup regularly. This can be done to disk or a flash stick. My aunt loss a lot of memories when her computer crashed and she hadn't done this simple act of protecting her files.
Another thought is a digital recorder for those moments on the go!!
I think it is great you are keeping his "story" Enjoy

Check out www.livejournal.com They let you customize your journal, and it is quick and easy to set up.

L.

I would suggest keep writing it :) My mom passed away when I was 19, and I would love to be able to read her thoughts in her hand writing... Just my 2 cents :) I think it's a great thing that you have created for your child, and only wish I would have done the same....

hey Kim! I do that too! I use a pain old word document. BUT, save it to my external hard drive, NOT The computer,.that hard drive was the BEST $80 we EVER Spent! NO More worrying about lost pictures or your precious words! Also, a few times a year, I email that Journal to a special friend of mine, so SHE too can save it on HER External hard drive,, Never Know when your House Might Burn Down.. Gotta be Real I supose about the Things you could NOT Ever replace!
Happy writing!

You can always make a blog at www.livejournal.com, and set it to private. It won't show your posts to anyone that isn't on your friends list.

I know you don't want your journal to be public, but try blogspot.com it is as private or as public as you want it to be. I have a blog there, but it would be really tough to find me. You get your own web address and there's no search function ex. I couldn't type in your name and find your blog. I really enjoy it. I can even post pictures and chose different layouts. It's great because we have family far away and they can check in and read the blog too!

Hi K.. I keep a journal for my kids as a blog. I keep it at www.blogger.com I had a public blog and met a ton of other moms and friends, but then decided it would be better to keep it private. To give you an idea, my old blog is listed at: www.kariandfam.blogspot.com and my new blog is listed at: www.livinlikelucy.blogspot.com I think that will help you see the difference!