Note: This was written last August 18, 2012. We still have our family free wall up to this day. And I look forward to seeing our fourth son write and tack something on our free wall, too. (Pardon the low-quality camera used).
The exchange of notes and special messages within our house has been abundantly pouring. This mother then decided to buy a cork board. She imagined writing special messages for the whole family to see. Also, call it overacting but I would always want my boys to communicate with their parents. I have seen a number of kids their age who begin to keep secrets from their folks. I would want my children to feel that even with the age gap, we have a special connection and as always, they can approach us for anything.
More than communicating to them our LOVE, I want them to feel HEARD. I fear to read on their Facebook wall page their angst and frustrations. I would rather prefer to read it in our family free wall — this is how we call our cork board. But more than disappointments and sadness, I also urge the boys to write, draw or pin anything they would want to share with the whole family. And I started it with writing down my daily reminder to them–
I would want the kids to share their feelings — may it be of fear or happiness. I would want to confirm their emotions, understand their struggle, and most importantly, let them know that I will always be by their side.
Our Firstborn — being so playful and carefree — shared his social networking status with us. I did not mind at all. At least he was confident that his parents would be interested even in things like that.
Firstborn’s social wars ranking and activities not only posted on his Facebook wall but to our free wall as well.
Second son, who got sick that week, might have been too conscious of his weight loss. I told him that he has to eat to regain his strength. He started to watch his weight and recorded it everyday. His two other brothers followed.
After seeing this, I taught second son to read the weighing scale. He mistook pounds for kilograms.
It can’t be disregarded that I value the boys’ schooling as well. We have the kids’ school calendar posted on our wall. As agreed, they have to jot down their school activities — may it be just a simple quiz or project submission.
Not the updated calendar, though. Saw this morning that the boys updated the August calendar. Saw a balloon on Aug 27, second son’s 9th birth date.
Class schedule of the boys
The free wall has been up for almost two weeks now. And so far, the little boys are enjoying posting anything from household bills to school reminders, and even pictures. It has been our means to read important notes and messages.
An invitation for DPS students to join the international youth fellowship tour in South Korea.
Our Family Free Wall
Certainly, my kids love surprises. And I believe almost any kid love to be surprised. And it doesn’t take real hard to make them happy. A simple love message or note would do. It encourages them more to do good in school, in their playing or in any of their dealings. And more than anything, they know that they belong to a family who loves and cares for them so much.
Day 1 of our family free wall.
Nearly two weeks after.
How about you, how do you communicate at home aside from regular conversation? Would love to hear them, please.
This is so great. It fosters communication in the family. It becomes an exchange of appreciation, gratitude and love too. Great idea that I might try someday 🙂 I think I would hoard the notes written there for years!
Haha. Go! Yup, helps a lot re communication and appreciation. Plus a great reminder re bills to pay. Ihihi
This is a good idea to have at home! Everyone can exchange sweet notes and get creative with it! 😀 Glad your kids are enjoying it! 😀
They are from the start. Now, they seldom post anything other than school notes and schedules. But the family free wall is still there to stay.
Wow I love this idea! It inspires me to make one of our own. Lately what we’ve been using is the fridge, and use magnets to keep our little papers and notes from dropping. I like this cork board look, though, so I may give it a shot!
Go. Thank you for appreciating it.
I love the idea of a free wall. It’s good that you were able to find ways to connect with your kids through colourful notes and messages. And of course, nothing beats handwritten notes! I personally love notes that are written with love 🙂
Couldnt agree more 🙂
I had a home office and i usually put posts it on the wall. But before that we used to use the fridge! It turned out to be a bulletin board! Lol!
Hahah. I can imagine the fridge turned bulletin board. That was the situation we had before thus thought of the cork board
This is awesome! I’m thinking of putting up something similar. I will adapt the program I recommend to my HR clients wherein there is a designated envelope per person and people can put notes inside. 🙂 I’m sure both the kids and adults would be happy to receive notes.
Love that envelope system. Sounds thrilling to receive love letters or even a simple note from family.
We don’t have one at home yet! Maybe when Nate is a little older, we can try this out. Maganda sya, para lahat maremind. It can be a gratitude wall as well. A place to thank everyone for very simple reasons. 🙂
love the gratitude wall concept ❤️
I love the idea Momi Berlin! I value communication especially in my little family. I would always tell the husband and my little man that I love them but having a free wall such as the one you have at home would be a great idea! I agree with you that I’d rather be reading what my family’s emotions are atm in a free wall rather than in facebook or twitter. Social media is becoming an unhealthy outlet of emotions, right? That should change, I think. And it begins at home! 🙂
Love it. It begins at home ❤️
It’s a great idea to have a family free wall. The way I see it, it suggests freedom of speech and expression within the household. Not only that but it also lets you engage with each other in a different sense. It could also teach kids to deal with their feels, thoughts and emotions and how to express it to others if they cannot talk to the person personally. 😀
Yes, exactly the reason for coming us with the family free wall. Thank you 🙂
That looks really brilliant. Making a freedom wall for the family and encourage the kids to write or post anything there. I’d love to adopt that to our home. For all the same good reasons, that my children will continue to be open to me and my wife.
Thank you. I may say the free wall is helping a lot in terms of communication plus reminder re bills, payments. Ihihi
Loved the idea just strengthens the bond in a family so well. Will definitely try this with mine. We take so amny things for granted that we often forget to say thank you
This mom as well. I tend to forget to thank my boys for their good deeds. But i would love to tell the words directly than through the wall.
I would want one. A small whiteboard or something like that. This is so nice to write a small surprise for the children to encourage them. Really good parent you are!
Thank you, my dear. Yes, so love writing surprises for the kids.
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