Baby Books: Secure Memories & Raise Successful Children
Posted: February 24, 2020 | By: Lisa E
Heritage Makers believes there is a story behind every photo, and that many of those stories need to be preserved and celebrated through custom, published books and other photo keepsakes.
My husband says the only baby he really remembers anything about was our first baby. I don’t know why that is. Maybe the other three children blend together, and the details all get fuzzy. Maybe it is just that being a first-time parent was so amazing to him that he couldn’t forget about it. I don’t know but for some reason the first baby memories stuck with him.
If this is you, or if you are looking for a way to make those precious baby memories last, you might want to read on.
I have four beautiful children and I can revisit each of them when they were sweet babies by opening their Heritage Makers baby books.
Here is my baby book of Ryder:
They have brought me much joy and I am crazy about them. I am no different than any parent. However, most of the people I ask, “Do you have a baby book for each child?” respond with, “Just our first.” It’s not that their first child was their favorite. I am not sure why this is the case. I don’t have the answers, but I do know each of those mothers I talked to wished they had their photos and stories recorded for each precious child.
It’s not too late!
I am having a big birthday soon. I am turning 50! Everyone has been asking me what I want to do to celebrate a half century. After contemplating this for a while I decided what I wanted was for both of my parents to write down everything they could remember about my birth and being a baby. If, like my parents, it has been a while since you had that baby, you might not know where to start.
Here are a few questions from a story map I developed to help jog your memory:
History
Here is your chance to give some background information about the baby’s family and the mom and dad’s romance.
1. How and when did the baby’s parents meet and fall in love?
2. Where did the family live when the baby was born?
3. How many children were in the family before the baby was born?
4. What does the baby’s family do for fun?
5. Where do the baby’s parents work?
6. Are there any funny stories in the baby’s family?
About Family Life
Tell about family life before news of the baby came.
1. What do the baby’s parents like to do as a couple?
2. What was family life like before the baby came?
3. What goals did the family have at this time?
4. Does the family have special reunions and other get-togethers?
5. What are the names of grandparents and other relatives?
6. What do the baby’s siblings or cousins do for fun?
Excitement of Expecting
Here you can showcase the joys and wonders of expecting a baby.
1. Did the mother have any interesting food cravings?
2. How did others react to those cravings?
3. What were the reactions to the ultrasound of the baby?
4. When did the baby first move in the mother’s tummy?
5. Was the mother in school or working during this time?
6. Did the parents have any expectations for the baby?
The full Baby Storymap can be found here: http://studio.heritagemakers.com/pdf/storymap_baby.pdf
This is my favorite Premier template from Heritage Makers Template Gallery that I used for Ryder’s book:
Here is another cute basic template from the Heritage Makers Template Gallery:
If you are new to Heritage Makers, there are several tutorials to help you start creating for the first time!
Research says being a good parent is simpler than we think! It says that when parents make clear the ambitions they have for their child’s future, it contributes to raising a successful child. My advice is to include your ambitions for your child in your child’s baby book.
Then read that baby book to your child often.
Send it with them when they leave home someday—but be SURE to make a copy for yourself so you can always look back on those tender memories.
-Candi May, Brand Champion for Heritage Makers
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