We live in an age of visual reminders – you only have to search on Pinterest, or Google for images, and you will find a plethora of posters to remind you on any subject: how to show love, speak kindly, share, forgive, persevere, etc. This is no new thing though – God actually knew that his people needed prompts to remind them of the things he had told them.
You shall write them [God’s Words] on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deut 6:9
In our house I have a variety of visual reminders (or prompt sheets)
- Bible Verses we want to memorise or be reminded of
- Posters that illustrate a particular moral behaviour we are working on
- Routines and Rosters
- Quotes that reflect truths we are pondering
Make your own Reminder Wall
As I said – there are plenty of posters online – free downloads – that can get you started. Or you can make your own. You can print either option on A4 paper at home, or take your image to a photo-lab and have them printed on photo paper – 8”x10” is my favourite size.
Sometimes my children made the poster – this particularly worked well with our Character First lessons. Getting children to make reminder posters also helps them process the expectations we have. Colouring sheets, craft or art activities, handwriting exercises, all give good opportunities for our kids to make something for the reminder wall.
I recommend that you either laminate your posters or use page protectors especially if you are using A4 paper. If you preserve your poster you will find that you will use them again – we all know that many behavioural issues will keep reoccurring and our training needs to be revisited.
Remember that when you are making a poster it needs to be read quickly at a glance.
- You need to keep the words simple and uncluttered.
- Use simple images, images that tell the message that you are trying to communicate, but images that don’t overpower the words.
- Use easy to read fonts, and limit them to 2 different styles, one straight and one cursive for example.
- Use colours that are easy to read – yellow is very hard to read from a distance.
No Wall Space?
- Cupboard doors – Our main Reminder Wall is in the Family Room, and uses 2 of the storage cupboard doors
- Fridge door – I always vowed nothing would ever go on my fridge door – then I became a mummy! I keep my Character First definition cards on my fridge and I refer to these regularly. They help me find the right words to encourage or instruct my children in specific character rather than in generalities.
- Bathroom Mirror – I haven’t done this (but my friend does) – use the bathroom mirror to leave a note for your family to ponder.
- Back of the toilet door – Now, I don’t know what is the right way to say that for my international readers but in Australia we often have significant posters/charts on the back of the door so when we use the ‘little room’ we have something of value to read!
- Dining room table – you can use laminated posters as placemats or you can have small prompt cards standing on your table or in a basket for you to refer to, even to use as conversation starters during a meal time.
- Chalkboard – create a family chalkboard
- A digital version of this could be a screensaver – just a thought for those with older kids (or for ourselves).
I’ve got my posters, now what?
The number one factor that will make these posters into a Reminder Wall as opposed to clutter on your walls is – That you use them!
When I noticed a heart attitude that needs working on in our family I would spend some time thinking through what lessons needed to be taught. I would take those thoughts and make at least one Reminder Poster. I would then refer to that poster either as a teaching prompt, or a reminder as necessary. When I noticed that we weren’t referring to one poster so much anymore – because the child, or children, had grown in that area – I would remove it. I found the reminder wall more helpful if it wasn’t too cluttered with too many different ideas.
There is one caution though – if we leave a poster on the wall for too long, and we stop referring to it, it becomes such a part of the furniture – our eyes no longer ‘see’ them, and our hearts are no longer prompted by them. We need to keep the charts relevant and fresh.
Change your Reminder wall around so it is relevant to the heart training needed in your house at this moment.
These posters won’t bring about heart change by themselves – they are simply a reminder, a prompt to work on the things you have already decided upon, or the things that you have already taught your kids. Without instruction a poster is just an image, just clutter on your walls.
Other Resources for you:
Ann Voskamp has some beautiful free download posters
{in}courage shares some lovely posters that will speak to your heart
Canva is a wonderful browser app that helps you create word and image graphics; very simple – very doable.
Character First Education lessons – now free online (some still being released). I used many of these aspects for my prompts, especially the definition and the “I wills”.
Throughout the week I share with one, or more of these blogs:
Monday: (Australian) Australian Mums encouraging Mums (Rest of the World) Mom’s the Word, Monday’s Musings, Thoughtful Spot, Meetup Mondays Tuesday: (Australian) IBOT @ Essentially Jess, (Rest of the World) Hip Homeschool Moms Blog Hop, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Tuesday @10, Intentional Tuesdays, Tuesday Talk Wednesday: Coffee and Conversation, Finishing Strong (Middle & Highschool years), Women with Intention, Whole Hearted Home, Coffee for your Heart, A Little R & R, Thursday: Hearts for Home / Embracing Destiny, Shine Blog Hop, From House to Home, Grace at Home, After my Coffee Friday: Grace and Truth Christian linkup, Faith-filled Friday, Faith and Fellowship, Learning from Each Other, Faith-filled Parenting Saturday/Sunday: Weekend Roundup Monthly: HSBA Post Blog & Tell
A reminder wall is such a great idea! 🙂
In response to your comment on my blog about the boxes (for homeschooling)….I too have boxes like you mentioned for important info that is filed. Each child has a box…these boxes have lids though! 🙂 Isn’t it great to have things organized!? 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!