Share Your Stories Through Scrapbooking!

 Happy Weekend, 

Memory Bound friends!

Those of us who are scrapbookers know that it's a very fun hobby. It's relaxing and rewarding to scrapbook your photos and share the stories that go with them. And who can resist all the incredible papers and embellishments on the market? But new research suggests sharing your stories can even increase your family's happiness! That's one more great reason to participate in this amazing hobby!

If you're a scrapbooker, you already know the importance of journaling -- telling the stories that go with your photos. But this new research indicates that sharing your story can have long-lasting benefits within your family, especially for children.

    
I recently ran across an article detailing the factors which lead to happier families. Sure enough, "Share the Family History" is listed as one of the seven secrets to creating a happy family! Here's an excerpt from the article:

Children who know the stories of those who came before them have higher self-esteem and a sense of control over their lives. Marshall and Robyn (the researchers) asked questions of four dozen families and also taped several of their dinner table conversations. They then compared the children’s results to a battery of psychological tests and reached some overwhelming conclusions. The more children knew about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem, and the more successfully they believed their families functioned. 

“The most healthful narrative,” Marshall continued, “…is called the oscillating family narrative. ‘Dear, let me tell you, we’ve had ups and downs in our family. We built a family business. Your grandfather was a pillar of the community. Your mother was on the board of the hospital. But we also had setbacks. You had an uncle who was once arrested. We had a house burn down. Your father lost a job. But no matter what happened, we always stuck together as a family.’ ”

Marshall says that children who have the most balance and self-confidence in their lives do so because of what he and Robyn call a strong “inter-generational self.” They know they belong to something bigger than themselves. 

Whether or not you have children, it's important to include your stories in your scrapbooks. These stories make your photos come alive, and you'll appreciate them more and more in the years to come! 

 These are pages from a tractor album I made for my dad. I interviewed him to find out the stories behind the tractors he restored. Now that he is gone, I treasure this album more than ever -- because it includes his stories.

  Here are two pages from Katie's heritage albums. She included detailed journaling written by her mom which tells the stories behind the photos. The stories make the photos come alive!

If you would like to start scrapbooking and sharing YOUR family's stories, join us for one of our upcoming Beginners' Scrapbooking classes. We'll get you started on this amazing and rewarding hobby! Click HERE for dates and more information, then call us to register at (515) 965-1102.

 Janet