We have six kids, so it is physically impossible for me to keep everything they bring home from school. In most cases, things go from the backpack folder into the trash (or into our drawer for using the blank side as scratch paper!)
Sometimes if the artwork is really creative, or if it’s a really good grade on a project- it will hang on the fridge for a week….before going into the trash.
And then a very (very) small selection makes it into the kids’ individual memory boxes in the attic saved for a rainy day’s walk down memory lane.
I definitely walk a fine line between being overly sentimental about all.the.things and recognizing that stuff is just stuff.
But one of the things that I keep for each child is a Kid Signature memory sheet
How to use a kid signature memory sheet
A day or two before the new school year begins, we pull out the signature memory sheets and each kid writes their name in the grade they will be attending for that year.
It makes them all laugh to look back at the way their signature has improved (or become more sloppy!) over the course of the years. They like to all compare who has the best handwriting currently, and who had better handwriting in every year prior. They actually take a lot of pride in writing their name, kind of like a small, strange way to step into who you are going to be for the upcoming school year. A year older, more confident in their own handwriting, and ready to tackle bigger and more exciting challenges in this new grade to come!
It is a small, silly tradition before the new school year – but our kids look forward to it and always remind me to pull them out when I inevitably forget as I’m trying to remember who still needs new sneakers before the first day.
Eventually, I imagine with a warm tingle in my heart – setting out their signature memory sheet on their little graduation party table at our house among all the photos and yearbooks. Seeing how their name has changed over the years from these huge, misshaped letters to someday their confident pen strokes of who they have grown up to be.
(Oh gosh, my apologies for the over-sappiness, it’s just who I am, okay? Don’t mind me! LOL)
Memory preserving
Look, moms – I know we have a lot to carry already. Girrrrrrl, I know. It’s the meals, and the doctor appointments, and the grocery lists, and the orthodontist bills, and knowing everyone’s favorite snacks, and the permission slips, and the piano lessons, and literally all the things for all the people. Oh yeah, and all the stuff for you too.
But, I will say – finding a way to also be the memory preserver of your family can be really impactful in a lot of ways. First, you get to relive all those invaluable moments that seem to zoom by with the rest of the blur of parenting kids. So often I find myself looking around wondering what in the world we did this whole year together – did we even have fun?! And then I memory preserve and uncover so many smiles, and moments, and tiny celebrations that I forgot about in the hustle and bustle of life.
And secondly, you get to share those bits of memories with your kids in a way that makes those memories physically accessible to them. Not just talking about and remembering – but actually holding in their hands and reinforcing the joy and togetherness of your shared life.
When things happen in turbo speed (much of our current way of life), it is easy for all of us – especially kids!! – to forget what happened yesterday, let alone last week. And that kind of speed of life, makes it really easy for kids to get caught up on all the things they don’t have or places they don’t go. They get a more-more-more; never enough mentality that can be really exhausting and frustrating to try to combat as a parent.
But! I have hope for you, mommas! I have seen firsthand that when kids have access to the memories of their life in a tangible form (family yearbooks, memory boxes, baby books, photo albums) – it can build a sense of gratitude that replaces that entitled, never-enough attitude. We – the memory preservers – have to not only talk about all the great memories, but give them access to them in a physical form too so that when life feels like it’s zooming by, they can literally grab onto all the ways their life is great right now in this moment.
Logistics
Where should you keep this? I keep my kids’ copies in their individual baby books for safekeeping, but in a folder in your filing cabinet works too! You’re only going to be pulling this out once a year at the start of the school year, so as long as you can remember where it’s stored – you’re good to go!
What if your kid(s) are already through some grades? There’s no time like the present! Start whenever! Have some missing boxes, who cares? If you’re super motivated though, dig around in your stash of arts & crafts kept from years gone by and cut our their signature that they wrote on those projects and glue them in the right spaces!
When should you have your child sign? We always sign them a day or two before the first day of school, but you definitely could also do it on the last day of school too. Do you want them signing it as they just begin a new journey with all the excited jitters? Or sign it with all the confidence of tackling another year and confident in that grade? Hint: There is no right or wrong answer. It is most fun if it feels a little like a tradition (plus it’s easier to remember to do it!)
Want this FREE Kid Signature worksheet printable?
Awesome! – just click below – enter your email address and it’s all yours! Print it off today, have your school-age child sign it for this year and then store it for next! Or if you have kids not yet in school – you can print and store – or you can save this post to Pinterest to use when the time comes for school to start (gulp! it comes quick, mommas!)
Haley says
Love this idea! One thing i do to preserve all the “masterpieces” from my three kids is to take pictures of them throughout the year. Then at the end of the year I create a “20XX family portfolio” on Shutterfly. They love looking through all of the artwork. Plus since it is such a beautiful tome(!!) it makes a great coffee table book for guests:) (mom tip: wait until Shutterfly offers free extra pages and lay flat pages)
Haley says
My antecedent was off 😅 “I take pictures of them” means I take pictures of all their artwork.
tabitha.studer says
Such a good idea – I love the idea of a coffee table book. What a treasure for years to come!