Mom shares why she reads daughter's journal and the internet agrees: 'This is so beautiful'

Parents do many different things to build trust and friendship with their kids, from spending quality time to giving them space to talk about their feelings. This mom, however, came up with a brilliant way to create a bond with her daughter. Kristin Hallett, a mom and a content creator–who goes by @ellipsis.____ on Instagram–shared how one can build a relationship with their child by sharing a journal. 

"I learned something so valuable from a grief circle I hosted and I wanted to share it with you," Hallett began the video. The text overlay read, "The most brilliant way to fuse a bond with your daughter." The woman then narrated what happened. She recalled, "A daughter brought her mother to the circle as a surprise. The mom had no idea." When everyone in the group was sharing, the daughter told her mother, "Mom, you have held and carried all of this weight and grief for all of us. I wanted to bring you here tonight to unload it." 

Hallett was mesmerized, seeing the relationship the mother-daughter shared. She pointed out, "And I watched them and I watched the relationship and it was exquisite." So, Hallett asked the mother in the grief circle, "I'm like, 'Listen, I have daughters. Give me the goods. How did you create this relationship with your daughter? It is special and I can feel that.'"

The woman responded that she had a journal. She gave it to her daughter and told her, "If there's anything that you're scared to tell me, scared to ask, afraid to use your voice and say it out loud. Put it in here. Put it under my pillow. I won't say anything. I'll write back and put it under your pillow. That's it. It'll never come up. It'll stay in here. It's ours to share." Hallett encouraged people online to do this with their son or their daughter. "It felt like a nice pay forward today," the mom concluded. 

In an interview with TODAY, Hallett spoke about sharing a journal with her daughter. While talking about her elder child, she said, "There is a level of autonomy and sovereignty in whatever she writes, which is magical." The mom makes sure to write phonetically so that the messages are clear. It also helps her to give calm and organized responses. Also, she shared that journaling is a repair technique, especially when the relationship between kids and parents breaks down. 

Though her elder daughter is just 6 and her entries are sporadic and simplistic, Hallett feels it's a good practice for her kids' teenage years. She wants to start the same tradition with her younger daughter, who is 5 now. She said, "I feel so lucky because I'll get pictures and 'I love you' messages." "We're getting into the routine and (creating) a safe space for now." The mom said journaling with kids is great for those who don't open up and for siblings with different communication styles. She shared, "My youngest daughter tells me everything and my eldest doesn't at all - she internalizes more."

People loved the idea that Hallett shared. @caitwharton commented, "My mom did this with me and my sister when we were preteens. She passed away when I was 27 and I found the journals in her things and it has been the most transformative experience going through them." @rocakes wrote, "My son lost his father last year. I know it will weigh on him in the years to come. What a wonderful idea." @colleen.baxter shared, "We just gave our 8-year-old son a back-and-forth journal for Christmas. He has already written a few things and it's so precious." @kimplatts expressed, "This is so beautiful. I'm crying and will definitely be utilizing this tool with my daughter when she's old enough."

You can follow Kristin Hallett (@ellipsis.___) on Instagram for content on unpacking grief and encouraging quotes.