How honest is your journaling?

My 16yo daughter would be equally snippy about that journaling. 😂 However, I think in the long run, with some more maturity and self-reflection, and less self-consciousness, that sort of perfectly honest and accurate journaling will be appreciated. 💛

I don't have kids but I kind of remember being one and I think if it wasn't this, it would be something else. Was she feeling down on herself and looking for proof that everyone agreed? I think this says more about her feeling crappy than about anything to do with you. Has she been holding onto this hurt since 2019 and misremembered what you said?
And what you said was true, right? You were proud of her regardless of whether she won or not and you celebrated something lovely. If you hadn't made the page at all would she accuse you of only celebrating winning? I think it's just teenager stuff, maybe it's about something bigger or maybe not. I don't think you can win. Changing the layout isn't going to fix it if she remembers it differently than it is anyway. I don't think you should change anything but maybe she is asking for more input on layouts about her. IDK.

Perceiving and interpretation of words, are up to the reader.

Since your Daughter said something, it's likely been bothering her for years since you wrote it in 2019. Your Daughter has obviously perceived your words, to be an insult and criticism towards her, not good enough. Even if it was not intentional on your part.

I would re-do the journaling, as well as apologize. In her tween, teenage(and likely future young adult mind), leaving it as is....will mean in her mind that you intended to insult her, that you think she was-is not good enough.....even though it was not your intention.
No matter how much you try to explain to her, she will see and understand it....as she sees it >> insulting and criticism.

In my previous scrapbooks I focused my journaling on the positive aspects of a story. Nowadays my scrapbooks blend the line between scrapbook and journal and I’m much more honest and authentic in my journaling. I think that’s a good thing.

I also tend to journal about how I feel about the event rather than report the who, what, why, of events. For instance, if the child I’m scrapping about got 2nd place I’d include the ribbon, picture of the plaque, or put the details on a journaling card. This way the info is there for reference and I can focus on my feelings about being there to witness their participation.

For what it's worth, I would have changed the layout too if she was upset. Feels like the right call and hopefully you both will have a chuckle over it when she's in her 20's.

I tend to scrap more of from a happy bent but do occasionally include hard stuff that's about me but I'm more likely to include that in my OLW album or somewhere else than in our family album. Before I got remarried, I did whatever I felt like in my albums. But I also think good to have some hard stuff in albums too. Not everyday is the best day ever and not every kid gets first place, at least not all the time.

Good luck figuring it out. Parenting is can be tough, especially the tween and teen years. Hugs.

I've started asking my husband and son to help me with my journalling because they remember things better than I do. So I ask them for details and feelings and then I write it.

I used to treat my scrapbook journalling as kind of a diary of my thoughts and feelings but I've since stopped. It turns out that my family doesn't want to read that stuff, and neither do I. I was too long-winded, and tried too hard. My son read some of the stuff I wrote when he was younger and was surprised and not thrilled about some of my feelings about parenting and daily life.

So, I focus on details of the day or event so everyone can recall their own feelings about it when they read it. I also don't write anything negative because I will never, ever have a problem remembering bad stuff and hard times, so I'd like to reflect on and remember the good stuff instead. Like a gratitude journal. So, that's my philosophy now. Do I want an anxious pit in my stomach from re-reading an old scrapbook page? No.

I'm not weighing in on the journaling. I'm weighing in on your parenting. And if *that* was on her list of grievances, you are doing a phenomenal job as a mother!

One of my oldest daughters favorite grievances when she's pissed is to say I didn't give her enough allowance money when she was 14. I pat myself on the back every time. Because if she really feels like an extra $10 a week would have improved her life that much more, then I know I did a good job if that's the absolute worst of it.

I know it's all relative. My perspective looks different because I was emotionally and physically abused as a kid and my kids were not. So these things, I know they might have stung but now my daughter is 23 but I'm happy to report there seems to be no lasting damage. Hopefully in ten years, hindsight will give your daughter a new perspective too.

Parenting is not for the weak. ❤️

I'm glad you went back and changed it for her. It may have jostled against her image of herself. At that age, it's hard to tell. 

My journaling about myself is honest. About my family, not so much. I figured that our family scrapbooks aren't the place to list faults or shortcomings. That doesn't mean that I pump sunshine out, though. Something like her race, I'd just put something generic like she enjoyed the race and look! A cool rainbow.

And it could be about the same thing, just on a different day!