For when your head’s full, your heart’s heavy, and the kettle’s just boiled.

 

Many years ago, I was an avid journaller and spent many hours sharing my worries, concerns, thoughts and ideas with my notebook.  

Then along came children.

Then along came a whole menu of diagnoses.  

And somewhere along the line, I lost myself. I stopped clearing my brain of all the turmoil, allowing it to settle in and become a constant unwelcome companion.

When I hit the wall, not just figuratively, I knew something had to be done.

What helped?

I looked back at all the things that had helped me before I had children.  

Cigarettes and alcohol at the pub were no longer an option, sadly.

A day in bed with a good book or movie, with the phone off,  was out of the question.

However, by chance, as I searched for yet another letter I had mislaid, I came across an old journal.  Sitting on the floor, skim reading it, I remembered how much it helped.

Before children, I’d had some pretty shitty times, but somehow journalling had kept me upright and allowed me to get on with the day-to-day work without exploding.

What to write though?

The issue I had as I sat down with a new notebook and pen, was what I wrote about.  Where did I start?  Did I write about their birth, their diagnosis, the system?  

I had a whole list of things I could write about, but I knew some were not a quick 20 minute writing session and some would require therapy at the end!  I needed baby steps.

Practice Gratitude – oh *@!* off!

This was the one thing everyone suggested, on Reddit, Pinterest, Instagram and more. Practice Gratitude? Seriously? I was surviving on 2-3 hours sleep a day, often not getting time to shower, a pile of paperwork threatening to topple over, but at least everything was in one place, and the last time I had peed without company was a distant memory.

I could easily write a list of all the things I wasn’t bloody grateful for. That was much easier!

I needed something that did not require candles, gratitude lists, or perfect handwriting. 

Like many of us parent carers out there, I did what I had to do and came up with some of my own prompts.  

 

a photo of a notebook open on a messy table with a phone and mug nearby

Along came AI

With the arrival of ChatGPT and other AI tools, coming up with more prompts was a lot easier.  

Whenver I asked for a prompt, related to whatever was on my mind that day (ranging from how to deal with an incompetent senco to I wish my friend understood), I started to collect them and share with some fellow parent carers.

Then I decided to put them together in one place to share.  

What do you get?

This free resource gives you:

  • A Notion-based collection of journalling prompts 

  • Prompts organised by theme and emotional state (e.g. invisibility, overwhelm, identity, decision fatigue)

  • A mix of quick-start prompts and deeper, reflective ones for when you need to untangle bigger thoughts

  • Categories based on real parent carer struggles like advocacy, organisation, relationships, and mental overload

  • The freedom to use it however suits you: notebook, phone notes, Google Docs, or scribbled on the back of an EHCP letter

You don’t have to share it. You don’t have to finish it. You don’t even have to make sense. It’s not about journalling perfectly. It’s about finding a moment of space.

Why This matters?

Why bother?

It’s not just the appointments, the paperwork, or the advocacy. It’s the mental load of tracking, planning, remembering, fixing and doing it all while acting like we’re fine.

And most of us are pushing our emotions aside—because there’s no time, no safe space, and no one to offload to.

But as author Oliver Burkeman wrote:

“Distraction and care are incompatible with each other.”

You can’t be fully present for your child, or yourself, when your head is full of unspoken fears, unprocessed anger, and emotional static.

But here’s the thing:

Journalling gives you somewhere to put all that.

Not to fix it. Not to write beautifully. Just to let it out.

So your head feels clearer. Your heart feels lighter. And your brain might finally stop sprinting laps at 3am.

How to use it

  • Click below to access the prompt dashboard

  • Browse the categories or choose a prompt that fits how you’re feeling

  • Use the prompts in your own notebook, notes app, or however works best for you

  • Write as much or as little as you want. Even “ARGHHHH” in all caps counts.

If you use ChatGPT Plus, you can also try Reflective Rambler, a free companion tool that gives you personalised prompts based on how you’re feeling.

Ready to get the prompts?

Sign Up below to access the free prompt bank. You’ll also get a quick-start guide and an occasional reminder that you’re doing better than you think.