*collaborative post
Becoming a parent is one of life’s greatest rewards.
Bringing a life into this world and caring for it as it grows is a massive
responsibility that comes with and an incredible number of challenges. Our
child’s infancy quickly moves on to adolescence, and it is important for us as
well as them that we make sure their childhood is remembered and cherished when
they reach adulthood.
There are more options than ever available today for parents
to keep a record of their child’s life as they progress through infancy to
school and through Christmases and birthdays and special occasions. Here we are
going to look at some of those options and hopefully help you create some boxes
and books of memories for your child to cherish for the rest of their life.
Have a Box for Keepsakes
It is a good idea to get a box early on to put in your
baby’s keepsakes. One of the first possessions your baby has is its security
and identity tag or bracelet from the hospital. This will be one of the first
things you’ll want to keep and the list is only going to grow from there, just
like your child.
The boxes you use need to be robust to last through the
decades, and it is nice to get something themed to your child or their age so
the box or boxes you use reflect their character or the age they were when you
began the box.
Build a Scrapbook for Documents
Your child’s life will quickly begin to be recorded
by documents from the hospital they were born in, to their first school,
and into clubs and associations like boy scouts or childhood sports teams.
Important documents marking milestones in your child’s life will come
sporadically, so making a scrapbook you can add to over the years is a great
way to preserve the documents while also creating a story for your child to
follow later in life.
Use Online Tools to Record Events
Online services like social media can have a role to play in
documenting our child’s progress. If you do create profiles for an infant child,
it is advisable to set any privacy settings to their maximum to preserve your
control over any information about your child. Also, be aware that technical
problems or changes in terms and conditions can lead to a loss of photos or
media online. Though convenient, online resources are out of your direct
control and are best used to compliment physical books and photos.
Make Your Own Photo Book
Creating your own photo book is a fantastic way to preserve
memories and create a story that your child can enjoy at every age and enjoy
with their children too when they are older. You can get a professional book
made for you if you look for the right photo book deals online. There are a
number of different options on sites like Photo Book Deals - they have unique
styles and let you compare prices to help you find the best deal for you.
Frame Important Achievements
Don’t leave framing to photos and certificates; framing
important items from your child’s life is growing in popularity. Framing
your favourite baby clothes with a picture of you and your child with your
child wearing the clothes is a wonderful thing to have as your child grows
older. Many people have that special baby shirt or dress that their child
looked their cutest in, but quickly outgrew. Preserve the look for the ages and
frame the clothing with a cute picture.
Plan Ahead
A great idea is to plan ahead for your child’s future.
Keeping special baby clothes to be reused on your grandchildren is a lovely
idea, and possible now with things like vacuum packing to preserve the clothes
for a generation. Maybe have a photo pose you take every birthday, your child
with you and your cake, for example, and repeat the photo’s pose and framing
every year. When your child reaches a milestone like their 18th or
21st birthday, a collage of all these photos would be a unique and
special gift for your unique and special child.
Giving our children a collection of memories to carry into
their adulthood is one of the greatest gifts we could offer. Books and boxes of
memories often become our lives most treasured possession, and the photobooks
and keepsakes we collect can be used even later in life as a way for your
children to connect to their past, and for future generations to connect to
you.
Collecting memories to pass down to your children has never
been easier, with a number of options available online to help you preserve
your keepsakes and special photos. Social media can give help us to keep a lot
of memories and photographs but having physical books and boxes can never be
replaced by Facebook and Instagram albums.
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