The Parenting Journal You’ll Actually Use

One journal. Eighteen years of stories. A gift they’ll treasure forever.

Not your typical baby book. It’s a flexible memory journal with birthday interviews, prompts, and space for your words...a love letter your child will treasure.

🤓 Details

This isn’t one of those cookie-cutter baby books where you feel guilty for skipping a page. Think of it more like a gentle guide: a few thoughtful sparks (like yearly birthday interviews and memory prompts) to help you get started, but mostly wide-open space to write what actually matters.

Jot down a one-liner that made you laugh, write a heartfelt letter once a year, or record their wild birthday wishes. However you use it, every entry becomes part of their story—told by you, the person who knows them best.

Because your camera roll can’t tell the whole story. Between first steps and high school graduation, there are a million little moments you swore you’d never forget. Spoiler: you will.

That’s where this journal comes in. Created to bridge the gap between endless digital photos and the real memories behind them, it captures the messy, magical, hilarious story of raising a human.

This isn’t just a journal. It’s a keepsake for your future grown-up kid—and a gift your future self will be so glad you made.

📓 How It Works

Each entry is written as a letter to your child.

You can write once a year. Or once a month. Or once every time they say something so ridiculous you have to write it down. There are zero rules, only memories.

Inside you’ll find thoughtful prompts organized by age and stage, from toddler giggles to teen angst.

Use them if they help. Ignore them if they don’t. This is your journal.

Most of this journal is just lined space for you to imprint your memories.

✍️ What’s Inside

Yearly birthday interview prompts (from age 1–18)

Milestone reflections you actually want to remember (yes, including the weird stuff they said about worms)

Creative space for photos, doodles, predictions, and observations

Questions that spark connection—whether your kid is 3 or 13

🎁 Perfect For

  • Baby showers (hello, unique gift idea!)
  • First birthdays
  • Sentimental parents with no time (aka all of us)
  • Anyone who wants to write less stuff and more meaning

What Makes us Different

A Keepsake, Not a Chore

Capture the chaos (before you forget it). No awkward prompts, no fluff...just space for the moments that truly matter.

The Gift That Keeps Giving

Someday you’ll pass this on, and they’ll see their journey, captured through your love and perspective.

Birthday Interview

Guided prompts for every age, helping you capture the little quirks, and all the moments that make them uniquely them...year after year.

How to Use This Journal:

Your Journey, Your Way

Write in it yearly, throughout the year, or as special moments happen.

Capture the Small Stuff

Document the funny shit they say, the times that make you proud, and everything in between.

Gentle Prompts

Helpful prompts inside to guide you when you need them — skip them when you don’t.

Keepsake for Life

The goal is to fill this book with love & memories, creating a time capsule to gift your child.

"The perfect gift for baby showers, first birthdays, or new parents."

– Babylist (JK, but seriously...it is.)

FAQs

What makes Heart Journals different from other memory books?

Traditional baby books want you to fill in “first haircut” and “shoe size at 14 months.” Heart Journals is about the real story, the wild, funny, emotional, messy stuff that actually makes up parenting. Think less checklist, more love letter. Open space to make it yours.

Unlike milestone trackers, Heart Journals leave room for your reflections, yearly birthday interviews, funny sayings, and the little quirks photos can’t capture. Over time, you’ll create something truly meaningful: a keepsake your child can hold, revisit, and cherish for years to come.

How does the birthday interview section work?

Every year, you sit down with your kid and ask them a set of questions ...simple, fun, and age-appropriate (we even put a list of ideas in the back of the journal to help spark inspiration). When they’re little, it might be things like “What’s your favorite snack?” or “Who makes you laugh the most?” As they grow, the answers naturally evolve into bigger stuff like “What do you want to be when you grow up?” or “What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?”

The magic is watching their answers shift over time. At 3, they want to be a dinosaur; at 7, a YouTuber; at 16, maybe a doctor or an artist. You’ll end up with a yearly snapshot of who they are in that exact moment, their personality, quirks, and dreams....all captured in their own words.

It only takes about 10 minutes once a year, but it turns into a treasure trove of memories. Future-you will be obsessed with it, and when you hand the journal over someday, they will be too.

What age is this journal for?

It’s designed to document from birth through age 18. That said, there are no timeline prompts so it’s never too late to start. You can jump in at age 3 or 7 or 16—we’re not the memory police. Just start.

Prompts are located at the start of the journal, meant to be referred to if you need ideas. The rest of the journal is lined for you to use

What kind of prompts are inside?

It is structured more like leaving love notes over time, not crafting a perfect story or writing down how much they weighed at three years old like traditional baby books.

No 'prompts' here, just a guided section in the back to help you with ideas so you can reflect on who they are right now. Some are deep, some are fun, all are flexible. Most of the journal is open space to jot down the funny things they say, milestones, tantrums, sweet bedtime chats, sibling dynamics, and your own parenting journey too.

What if I forget to write for a year (or three)?

Then you pick up where you left off. No guilt, no judgment. Life is full, parenting is intense. This journal is here whenever you're ready to come back to it.

Plus when you purchase we send you a custom calendar invite to schedule a yearly nudge on your kid’s birthday so you remember to jot down what made this year special (or chaotic). So you should at least remember once, which is enough!

Give it a swing here.

When should I gift this to my child?

It’s completely up to you.

Personally, I joke that my kids will have to claw it out of my cold dead hands...I love it that much. Maybe I’ll let them peek while I’m here, and they’ll keep it forever once I’m gone. Who knows.

The point is, there’s no rule book here, just do what feels right for you.

Can I get reminders to write?

Yes! You can opt in for us to send you a gentle nudge on your kid’s birthday so you remember to jot down what made this year special (or chaotic). You can test it out here.

What if I’m “not a writer”?

Then this is perfect for you. Prompts are short and simple, and most of the magic comes from your everyday words. Your kid doesn’t care if it’s Pulitzer Prize-worthy they just want you. And the most authentic peek into their lives as a little human.

Will my kid actually care about this when they’re 18?

Yes. Imagine being handed a book full of your parent’s memories, stories, and love...it’s priceless. This isn’t just a record of milestones; it’s a view into your story before you even remember it. What made your parents laugh when you were two. The funny things you said at four. The chaos, the joy, the moments they don’t always post online but never wanted to forget.

It’s like a time machine that lets your kid see themselves through your eyes, year after year. And when you gift it to them at 18, it’s going to hit way harder than a graduation card with a check inside. (Although we do recommend both.)

Is this a good gift for new parents?

Absolutely. It’s thoughtful, unique, and way more lasting than another onesie. Bonus: it doesn’t require batteries.