it seems so obvious
Every person has their own personality and way to see the world.
I’m sure you’ve seen it. You’re probably saying, “Duh, Davina. I’ve got three kids and they have been different since the day they were born. It’s crazy town over here.”
Maybe you have a daughter that is mischievous and keeps everyone on their toes. Or a son who is intensely focused on creating things where only his best will be good enough.
different people, different answers
No matter what your family is like there are little details about each person in your family that connects you to each other. One of your your kids answers the question :what should we do today?” with: let’s stay home and play legos. And your other child wants to go swing at the playground, run up and down the field, and move until they wear you out. Another of your children may want to be silly, play silly games, do something fun…the funnier and sillier the better.
Over the past 2 years one of my favorite ways to get a deeper glimpse into each of my kids’ heart and mind is through questions.
the questions
We have a book that has a question for each day of the year and space to answer for three years! We’ve filled in the book for two full years now and are half way through the third year. Over the last 2 1/2 years we’ve gotten to see how much everyone stays the same and at the same time how much they’ve changed.
You can purchase [the book](http://www.amazon.com/Q-Day-Kids-Three-Year-Journal/dp/0307952967/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438095777&sr=8-1&keywords=365+questions+for+kids) but you don’t have to. You can [make up your own questions](http://www.davinafear.com/2013/08/16/your-mom-goes-to-college-back-to-school-familyness/) and then plan to ask them every year.
Here are some questions to get you started:
1. What makes you laugh?
2. Who is your favorite person to talk to?
3. If you could be in charge of the world, what’s the 1st thing you would do?
4. What color do you feel like today?
5. What kind of home would you most like to live in?
6. If you could have a super power, what would it be?
7. Are you afraid of the dark? Explain.
8. Do you have a pet? Explain your pet. If you don’t have a pet, what do you wish you could have?
9. Who is the oldest person you know?
10. What does a best friend do?
Over 3 years, these answers change in subtle and sometimes dramatic ways. Some never change. Inside the answers are so many little visions into the heart and mind of my kids.
Recently, I’ve been thinking that Mike and I should have been answering these questions. You may want to try that, too…including not just the kids’ answers, but yours as well.
*This is the Dixon Family.
I’ve gotten to photograph this cute family several times now and I fall in love again every time. For this session we ate pizza in the backyard, roasted marshmallows, went for a walk, rode bikes, had baths, and my favorite—I got to be there when they told their kids they were having a baby. The Dixons are so good at letting their kids just be themselves. They aren’t looking for a way they should act or be. Spence and Joy honor each of their unique differences and look to their strengths to bring out the best in each other. Even bedtime for each of the kids was tailored to what they each wanted. They played the bedtime games and read the bedtime stories that mattered to them. To see a slideshow from the session, click on the photo below.
xoxo,
Davina
**PS I’ll be in Utah a month from now.** Kids grow up and the changes are sometimes so subtle for us that we don’t realize all the little nuances we love so much have disappeared until after they are gone.
I know you know what I mean. I didn’t realize Grace had completely stopped wearing the exact same outfit everyday (when she was 5 years old) until one day when I was going through her clothes with her and saw that her skirt-and-pants-endearing-combo (yes skirt) was in the back of her drawer. And my heart missed that little girl that loved that outfit everyday for over a year. I know you want to capture things like that, too, and remember them years down the road.
It’s time for your documentary session. Get on the list now! I’ll be announcing dates in Utah shortly. CLICK HERE to let me know you want on the list. Just type: ‘documentary session please’ in the subject line.
Charlotte family photographer
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