If your kids are angry or upset, tell them to write it down. If they can't fall asleep at night, tell them to get out that pen!
A private journal "helps bring resolution to things that have been troubling you. It helps you explore how you feel about something," says Gail P. Robinson, Ph.D., a past president of the American Counseling Association. Journals lend a shoulder to cry on, an impartial ear, or a track record of how far your child has come.
"Writing helps focus your thoughts on what's really happening," says Dr. Robinson.
Journals can also help improve your child's health and school grades, says James W. Pennebaker, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.