Daily Logs – Tip #53

When you are apart it isn’t just the big things that change.  Sometimes it is a lot of little things that make the most noticeable changes or differences when all put together.  A fun way to mark these is by keeping a daily log.  It doesn’t have to be more than a sentence a day – it can just be a couple of words to tell about something that happened, didn’t happen, made your mouth drop open, made you cry or laugh.  When your family member returns you can help to fill in the gaps and trigger your own memories using the log.

Tips:

* Create a couple of sentence starters (If you were here you would have …, I wish you could have seen _________ today…, You would have laughed so hard because…)

* Keep a blank notebook and pen/pencil in a high traffic area so that it is not forgotten about and easy to do

* Ask others to add to the book

* Include pictures, cartoons, doodles, etc.

* Try to include changes not only to your own life but to others that are important to your family member, the community, neighborhood, etc.

* Don’t forget to include the date so it will be easier to follow

For more information about our tips, books and resources go to: http://www.whileyouwereaway.org

To submit a tip of your own, write to: Megan@whileyouwereaway.org

Filed under: Military Family Support - Tips from the 101 Tips books, Re-integration Tips, Tips for Educators and Deployment Support Workers Tagged: | changes, daily log, deployment, life, military, re-integration, reunion, support