I’ve kept a diary/small journal for 30 years and decided this year will be my last one. Do any other grans keep one? ?

I started writing one the year my grandchildren were born in 2009. The first entry is about us waiting to hear when we new DD1 was going into hospital for her Caesarian as one of the twins was breech and the other transverse. They are 11 and Im still writing. Sometimes it is about them , mostly about our family and including them and occasionally about me and close friends. There’s detail about family members/ occasions. Lots about birthdays/Christmases/holidays and other special occasions. The early ones are about their milestones and funny expressions etc. I have re- read them occasionally . The daughters joke about what I am saying when they watch me writing . I hope the grandchildren will be interested when they are older. I have no pre 2009 diaries didn’t have time to write

Odd that I just spotted this thread right after I realised that 2021 is the first year I haven’t bought a Moleskine diary!

I set fire to mine a few years ago,I'd been keeping them since I was in high school.To be honest I wouldn't have liked other people to read my teenage angst and self doubt .Or my musings in the dead of night when I sat and watched my babies sleep .It was personal and I liked reading it and remembering but I'm more a look forward than look back type so they went in the big fire along with some old photos and letters from old flames .I'm not sorry I did it .

Actually I feel somewhat liberated now I’ve made the decision that this year’s diary is THE LAST ONE.

I can leave them stuffed in the box and decide what to do with them (if anything) at a later date. I’m just not adding to the pile.

They would take up hours of reading time to go through them all.

Funny isn’t it how some of us keep a journal and others don’t? I blame my love of stationery ....
?
And a nice pen.
And sitting quietly with my thoughts at the end of a day.

But now, I’m just done.

I did Urmstongran,untill i re-read them and realised what a prat i have been by letting xdh treat me like shit all year round.
And very few good times with him.
But family entries always made me smile.
I stopped around 20 years ago.

Yes I have always kept a diary and entered every detail meticulously. During the final years of my marriage there some very sad and difficult entries. So 2 years ago I destroyed all my diaries as I didn’t want to read and re-live everything. Neither did I want my children to read them. I still keep a diary but the entries are very mundane and probably won’t hurt anyone....hmmmmm.....I wonder ?

Have kept a diary ever since I retired about twelve years ago. I find writing down my thoughts and feelings very therapeutic also helps to know it rained in March 8 years ago?

I should add, that just because your children don't show any interest in family heirlooms, diaries, letters or whatever, it doesn't mean they never will. People change as they get older, and they may think very differently once you have died. Suddenly everything that belonged to you becomes very precious. I know that's how I felt when my parents died.

Bodach ??

I used to have a small collection of my childhood diaries - which I invariably received as a Christmas present from one or another of my adoring Aunties. Sadly, none of the diaries included any entries beyond (at best) mid February. And most entries from mid January consisted only of the immortal words "Usual schoolday". Talk about deathless prose...

I am the original diary fanatic. I have one for 1965 (aged 15) and then from 1968 until now, thus spanning over six decades. I have never been able to throw them out.
They are just pocket diaries but have a note for the day, usually what happened that day that made it different from other days. I've tried to avoid hairdresser, dentist etc.
As you say, Urmstongran, it is so useful to be able to check something from years ago and I love that. Those diaries are my life!
My children will be interested to read the years when they were born and when they were small. There may be something they would really like to know. So I don't think you should throw yours out, let your children have them for that reason.

Oh yes I keep a diary and have done for many years.....if I don't get around to burning them before I depart this life some people are going to get quite a shock!

How spooky Urmstongran- I’ve just been sorting the cupboard where my diaries/journals from 1973-1995 are kept!

Since 1996 I’ve only bothered with small appointment type ones - no deep thoughts and pondering, but I’ve got all those as well!

I might get DH to burn them in our fire pit one winter whilst cooking a few sausages- about all the use they are to anyone!

I did ask DD if she wanted them and she sighed, shook her head and said she’d be too bored......

I still write a line or two most days. I have found them useful if I want to remember something that happened a while ago.
They don't express my inner feelings much but more about what is happening with family, friends and the wider world.

It would be a pity to throw them out Urmstongran. Part of your past.