How To Make A Memorable Scrapbook For Your Child...without Having A Masters Degree In Art!by Jennifer Tarzian

When my son was only a few months old, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a scrapbooking party. I had no idea how much fun putting together a few pictures could be! Immediately, I was hooked. I had been taking pictures constantly since the day my baby was born, and now I finally had something to do with them all!

Even though I take most of my photos with a digital camera, I really enjoy putting the "real" pictures down on paper. It is almost "therapeutic" for me. After a long day, and my son is put to bed, this is my time to devote to his scrapbook - and it is fun.

I'm no master of the creative arts by any means. In fact, my pages are pretty simple. But I have learned a few tips along the way that have made my scrapbooking a success to me.

*Journal - The reason I enjoy putting pictures in scrapbooks is that it allows me to write down what was going on in the picture: where we were, what we were doing, what I was thinking at the time - all the things that I know I won't remember 20 years from now! I try to take notes on journal paper while the images are fresh in my mind. That way, when I'm ready to sit down and create a page, I can add the journal notes. Plus, I want this to be a gift to my son that he can look back on when he's older. The more notes I write in his book for him, the more special it will be.

*Include a range of topics - I try to make pages of neighbors, our home, and friends of the family in order to preserve the memories of people and places that may change over time. I never thought much about doing this until we moved out of town. But now I can put together a page with pictures from the house my son was born in, the neighbors we had when we lived there, and the friends that we visited in that town. Since my son won't remember these things, he will have the stories and pictures to enjoy.

*Add special keepsakes to the book - I've included pages from his favorite books (that he has ripped out!), his hospital bracelet from when he was born, cards he has received for special occasions, even his first knit cap! The great thing about scrapbooking is that it doesn't have to just be pictures! Your local arts and crafts store can offer many options to help you include odd-shaped items or things that are just too precious to put glue on. Items such as plastic sleeves and pocket folders can serve this function and are a great asset to your memory book.

And for those of you who only have a digital camera, or just prefer to do your scrapbooking on your computer, I recommend you read David D. Deprice's article, "Family Album in the Digital Age" at http://www.youngparentsmagazine.com/articles/Family-Album-In-The-Digital-Age.htm for more information on "computerizing" your memory book.

Most importantly, make it fun! If your kids are old enough to help with the project, let them! This is a great activity that kids and parents alike can get enjoyment from. You will be preserving precious memories while giving your children the gift of your time. Best wishes and Happy Scrapbooking!

About the Author

Jennifer Tarzian is proud to be a stay-at-home mom. For all your parenting resources or to sign up for her weekly newsletter, please go to http://www.youngparentsmagazine.com or visit http://creditcards.youngparentsmagazine.com for helpful guides on credit reports, as well as valuable information on choosing the right credit card. Additional resources can be found at http://www.myguidetocrafts.com