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Journaling Suggestions:

Following each lesson, take some time to reflect on the principles discussed. Reflect on them as they relate to your own experiences, not just as parent, but also how you yourself were parented. Then write. The goal is not to compose great prose, but to use the act of writing to process what you’ve heard and integrate it into your own life. 

What is particularly pertinent? 

What are your blind spots? 

How might your childhood/young adult experiences be influencing your parenting approach, for better and for worse? 

What are the takeaways that your mind generates? 

Upon reflection, what might you go back and do differently, and what aspects of your parenting do you feel really good about?

You may want to journal right after each lesson, or you may want to take time to digest what was discussed and then come back to it after having a bit of time to process and reflect. Whatever works best for you. 

You may find yourself expressing some regret. But if you do, remember this: all that we ever have is our best guess as to the right thing, the best approach. So move through it with some compassion and forgiveness for yourself, and acknowledge that many of our mistakes were coming from a place of love and good intention. Then as you gain more clarity about yourself, your history, and the complex task of parenting, step forward with resolve about the ways you’ll adapt and grow as a parent. 

As for the journal prompts after each lesson, you may not use them at all, which is completely fine. They’re meant only as prompts if the reflections do not come easily without.