A memory book should focus on a special moment, like a trip to the beach, and include the perspectives of everyone in the family.
This Mother’s Day go beyond breakfast in bed and give mom a gift she’ll always remember, a memory book from the whole family.
From that perfect beach vacation to a new pet, a memory book can center on any number of shared family experiences. Once that intimate moment has been selected, everyone in the family can write about the experience from their own perspective.
“The thing that makes a memory book work best is if everybody is thinking about that moment in unique ways,” said Ann Rayburn, a retired psychotherapist and poet. “It’s amazing what one sibling will remember and another won’t.”
Other aspects that make for a perfect memory book include style and length considerations. A memory book should be printed and bound, either handwritten or in nice font, which makes for a genuine keepsake. It’s also important to keep contributions balanced; if one family member writes too little and another too much there is potential for discomfort. According to Rayburn, each family member should contribute about a page.
A final recommendation for the family project is to make the work inclusive for mom. “Leave a blank page or two at the back with a heading for mom’s memories of such and such and she can talk about them,” said Rayburn. “If she has any sentimentalities at all she will add her own memories for saving.”