Article
Keeping
Records on your Children
by Barbara Beaudoin
You
have just one chance to prepare a comprehensive record of the life and
times of your new baby. Believe me, get organized before your baby is
born if you want to avoid the massive guilt pangs and confusion that
spring forth when your grandchildren want to see the photos and hear
the stories of all the wonderful, funny things their parent did as a
baby. As a mother, you’re expected to remember every detail, including
what she was wearing and how many teeth she had the day she crawled
into the fireplace and gnawed on the scraps of charred wood. (Your memory
may be sharp now, but if you have more than one child, those mental
pictures tend to meld and dissolve into a warm and fuzzy but very hazy
recollection of events.)
First, designate a closet shelf to hold your records. I suggest a shelf
in baby’s room or in a linen closet where you can easily add to it as
time flies by. Those adorable little baby albums are a nice touch to
record baby’s first-year milestones, but you need more. A good-quality
storage box (such as those for crafts or photos) will hold the congratulatory
cards and notes and the pictures you’ll be tempted to take in the hospital,
leaving the hospital, coming home with baby, placing baby in the bassinette,
Dad feeding baby, Mom feeding baby, Nana holding baby, baby sleeping,
baby awake, and so on and on. Our camera recorded every detail of our
first child’s progress during her first year, but our fourth child often
asked why we don’t have more infant photos of her. My answer: “I had
to decide whether to change your diaper or take your picture.” Even
if you have a digital camera and store your pictures in your computer
or a CD, you will want to print some for showing off to friends and
family.
A loose-leaf notebook is a convenient way to journal; it can be written
daily or weekly, and it can record your thoughts and observations as
well as your wishes and dreams for your special little one. A record
of favorite foods will demonstrate how quickly appetite and tastes will
change and also will be helpful in the event of a food allergy. Now
and again, add a little prayer or poem that expresses your personal
feelings. Don’t hesitate to record the best and (egad!) the worst of
days. (Actually, it’s the nights that are usually the worst.) Why not
add pocket-style page protectors to hold the baby’s hospital I.D. bracelet,
copy of birth certificate, a birth announcement, personal articles such
as tiny booties or a lace bonnet, miscellaneous medical records, prescription
medicine information, and any other documentation you’ll want to keep.
As baby grows, add a new box to hold special birthday photos and vacation
memorabilia as well as the artistic efforts you will save. (I recently
presented my 30-year-old son with a box of drawings he made when he
was 10. His attention to detail was evident in those illustrations,
and the trait remains inherent in his adult personality.) Of course,
the future presents myriad school pictures, postcards from camp, creative
writing stories, coloring book pages, and arts and crafts. In other
words, make a box of his or her “favorite things” because someday your
baby will be a grownup and reminiscing is great fun at family reunions.
Of course, if you won’t feel guilty using a little blackmail when your
adorable baby becomes a teenager, you can include some embarrassing
photos like baby in the bathtub, baby smearing a soft-boiled egg all
over herself, or a picture of your teenager before you donated the $3000
braces that gave him that gorgeous smile. Think of them as a little
insurance that can be helpful in the future, but I won’t offer any suggestions
at this time. (Maybe you should e-mail me when your baby turns 12.)
A late entry to the wonderful world of writing,
Barbara Beaudoin recently began contributing family stories and
recipes to publications such as the “Cup of Comfort Cookbook” and is
determined to prepare a special family history journal as a Christmas
gift for her family. She just won’t predict which Christmas. She enjoys
her work as a freelance proofreader and copy editor for several publishing
houses. Her husband, five children, and five grandchildren provide plenty
of experience in practical living, but hobbies of writing, decorative
painting, and home decorating indulge her creative side.
