Journals for parents: 9 of the best positivity planners and 5-minute diaries to record special moments and manage anxieties

And the kids can get involved with some of these options too

A collage of the best journals for parents
(Image credit: Future)

The best journals for parents can help navigate the ups and downs of family life - from recording special memories to working through difficult emotions when things get tough.

Finding time for yourself as a parent isn't easy, and even the simplest self-care ideas can seem impossible when you've got night feeds, the school run or cooking for a family of four to think about. But self-care is essential for mums and dads - spending a little time looking after yourself can be a great tool for managing stress, avoiding burnout and helping you stay on your parenting A-game.

Journaling is one way parents can build a little me-time into their day, and it doesn't have to take more than five minutes. Dr Charlotte Armitage, psychologist, psychotherapist and founder of No Phones at Home, which encourages families to put their phones away and focus on connecting instead, explains, "Writing our thoughts out on paper can help us to organise them and can also be incredibly cathartic... It involves reflecting on our feelings, working out how to structure these thoughts and behaviours into cohesive sentences, and then using our complex neural connections to enable us to write these down. All of this helps us to make sense of our thoughts and feelings and journaling is an effective way of processing our emotions in a healthy manner."

And besides this, when you're a parent there are so many moments you'll want to document - first words, first steps and first days of school - and if you write them all down, one day you can look back on them too. Plus, when your children get a little older, you can introduce them to the best gratitude journals for kids, and practice mindfulness together.

9 best gratitude journals, positivity planner and 5-minute diaries for parents

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Ellie Hutchings
Family News Editor

Ellie is GoodtoKnow’s Family News Editor and covers all the latest trends in the parenting world - from relationship advice and baby names to wellbeing and self-care ideas for busy mums. Ellie is also an NCTJ-qualified journalist and has a distinction in MA Magazine Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and a first-class degree in Journalism from Cardiff University. Previously, Ellie has worked with BBC Good Food, The Big Issue, and the Nottingham Post, as well as freelancing as an arts and entertainment writer alongside her studies. When she’s not got her nose in a book, you’ll probably find Ellie jogging around her local park, indulging in an insta-worthy restaurant, or watching Netflix’s newest true crime documentary.