Funny Things My Kids Say Journal: Why NZ Parents Are Writing Down the Gold

Last Tuesday, my four-year-old looked me dead in the eyes and said, "Mum, when you die, do you want me to burn your body?" No context. No warning. Just pure, unfiltered preschooler questioning over morning WeetBix.

If you're a parent in Aotearoa, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Kids say the most brilliantly absurd things, the kind of comments that make you snort-laugh into your flat white or leave you genuinely speechless (and sometimes embarrassed) in The Warehouse checkout line. The problem? We forget them. Within days, sometimes hours, these golden quotes slip away into the chaos of school lunches, sports drop-offs, and the eternal hunt for matching socks.

That's why more and more Kiwi parents are keeping a dedicated space to capture these moments. Not for perfection, just for remembering. Because one day, you'll want to remind your teenager exactly what they said about their "inside bones" at age three.

Why Kids' Quotes Disappear (And Why It Matters)

Here's the honest truth: we massively overestimate our ability to remember things. You hear your child say something utterly hilarious while you're elbow-deep in dinner prep, and you think, "I'll definitely remember that." You won't. I'm sorry, but you really won't.

Research from Plunket NZ shows that children's language development between ages two and five is particularly rapid and creative. This is the peak window for linguistic gems — the mispronunciations, the bizarre observations, the accidentally philosophical statements about why the moon follows the car.

The issue isn't that these moments don't feel significant at the time. They absolutely do. The issue is that parenting is relentless, and our brains simply can't hold onto every precious detail while also remembering to sign the permission slip for the Year 2 trip to MOTAT.

The Phone Notes Problem

Some parents try keeping quotes in their phone notes. It's better than nothing, but let's be real — those notes end up buried between grocery lists and that password you definitely wrote down somewhere. There's no joy in scrolling through digital clutter trying to find that one thing your kid said about Grandad's "fluffy head."

What works better is having a dedicated, physical space. Something you can leave on the kitchen bench or beside the couch. Something tangible that signals: this is where the funny stuff goes.

The Case for a Dedicated Funny Quotes Journal

A purpose-built journal changes the game entirely. When you have a Funny Things My Kids Say book sitting on your coffee table with "Funny Things Aroha Says" embossed on the cover, you're far more likely to actually use it. It becomes part of your routine rather than an afterthought.

The beauty of personalisation, especially when it's done by hand, not machine-printed, is that it transforms a simple notebook into something with intention. You're not just scribbling in any old exercise book from Warehouse Stationery. You're creating a keepsake.

And here's something I genuinely appreciate: proper macron support for te reo Māori names in personalisation. If your child is Māui or Tūī, their name should appear correctly. It's a small detail that matters enormously.

What to Actually Write

Don't overthink this. The goal isn't to craft beautiful prose — it's to capture the moment before it evaporates. A simple format works brilliantly:

• Date: Even just the month and year helps
• Age: "3 years, 4 months" gives wonderful context later
• The quote: Word for word, exactly as they said it
• Brief context: One sentence about what prompted it (optional but helpful)

That's it. Some entries will be three lines. Some might be half a page if the story behind it is particularly good. There are no rules here.

What You Can Choose on the Cover

The cover is the part most parents spend longest on, and rightly — it is what turns a notebook into their book.

The word. Funny is the obvious start, but not always the right one. Cute, Clever, Amazing things, Great ideas and Big plans are all there, and you can write your own if none of them fits the child you actually have.

The name. Then their name, a family nickname, or simply my daughter or my son. So you might end up with Funny things Teddy said, Big ideas Emmie has, or Clever things my son says.

The colour. Three linen colours — Milk, Matcha and Pink Rose — each with gold foil embossing, lay-flat binding, and lined pages with room to date every entry.

Macrons are available too, so a te reo Māori name is set the way it should be written — more on how macron embossing works.

All three colours are on the Funny Things My Kids Say book.

Making It a Habit Without Adding Pressure

The parents who actually maintain these journals aren't doing it perfectly. They're doing it imperfectly, whenever they remember, and that's exactly the point.

Leave your journal somewhere visible. The kitchen bench works for many families. Beside the kettle. On the hallway table. Wherever you naturally pause during the day. When your child delivers a gem, you want the journal within arm's reach.

Some families make it a ritual — Sunday evenings, going through the week and asking, "Did anyone say anything funny we should write down?" Siblings often remember each other's best lines, which adds another layer of family connection.

If you're already keeping a Your First Years Baby Book for your little one, a separate funny quotes notebook handles the overflow — those daily observations that don't quite fit in the milestone pages but absolutely deserve preserving.

Beyond Baby Years: Why Older Kids Say Even Funnier Things

There's a common assumption that the hilarious quotes phase ends around school age. In my experience, it actually intensifies — it just changes character.

Toddlers say funny things because they're learning language and making delightful errors. School-age kids say funny things because they're developing actual opinions, often wildly incorrect ones delivered with complete confidence. My nephew once declared that Wellington was "the coldest country in the world" with the authority of a meteorologist.

By the time they hit intermediate, you're getting deadpan observations about adult behaviour that are uncomfortably accurate. These are worth recording too — arguably even more so, because the window closes. Teenagers become self-conscious and performative. The unselfconscious gold of childhood fades.

The NZ Ministry of Education notes that humour development is actually a significant cognitive milestone. When your child makes a genuine joke — not just repeating something they heard — they're demonstrating sophisticated understanding of language, timing, and social context. Worth celebrating, worth recording.

Personalised Notebooks as Gifts (That Actually Get Used)

If you're looking for a meaningful gift for new parents or grandparents, a personalised funny quotes journal hits differently than another generic baby shower present.

For grandparents especially, a notebook titled "Funny Things the Grandkids Say" becomes a treasured project. It gives them something specific to contribute to, something that involves the grandchildren but is uniquely theirs to keep.

For parents with multiple children, you have options: one combined family journal, or individual notebooks for each child. There's no right answer — it depends on your family's style. Some parents like comparing what each child said at the same age. Others prefer each child having their own dedicated book.

The To My Child Baby Journal pairs beautifully with a funny quotes notebook — one captures your letters to them, the other captures their own words back to the world.

Storing and Organising Childhood Keepsakes

A funny quotes journal fits into a broader approach to preserving childhood memories. If you're also dealing with mountains of kindy artwork and school certificates, you might find 9 Easy Ways to Organise Your Child's School Artwork genuinely helpful.

The key is having designated homes for different types of memories. Photos go in albums. Artwork gets curated and stored. Milestone moments get recorded in your baby book — and what to write in a baby book is worth thinking about intentionally. But the daily verbal gems? They need their own spot.

Some families extend this approach into school years, incorporating school keepsake ideas that capture each year meaningfully without drowning in paper.

Browse the full range of journals and photo albums if you're building out your family memory-keeping system. Some moments deserve more than a camera roll — and your child's words are absolutely among them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age do kids start saying funny things worth recording?

Most parents notice the golden quotes beginning around 18 months to two years, when language really takes off. However, every child develops differently, and some late talkers suddenly produce absolute gems once they do start. The sweet spot is typically between ages two and seven, though older children offer a different kind of humour worth capturing.

How do I remember to write things down when life is so busy?

Location is everything. Keep your journal somewhere you pass frequently — kitchen bench, coffee table, bedside table. The visual reminder helps enormously. Some parents also do a weekly recap, asking the family to recall funny moments from the past few days rather than trying to capture everything in real-time.

Should I have one journal for all my kids or separate ones?

Both approaches work well. A combined family journal captures sibling interactions and allows for easy comparison. Individual journals become meaningful personal keepsakes you can gift to each child when they're older. Consider your family size and how you imagine using the journals long-term.

What's the best way to personalise a funny quotes journal?

The most popular is "Funny things [Name] said" — but the wording is yours. Swap Funny for Cute, Clever, Amazing things, Great ideas or Big plans, or write your own. Use their name, a family nickname, or simply my daughter or my son. Macrons are available for te reo Māori names. Choose something that makes you smile — you will be looking at it for years.

Is a physical journal really better than keeping notes on my phone?

For most families, yes. Physical journals are visible, tangible reminders that prompt regular use. They're also wonderful to flip through together as a family — something that doesn't happen naturally with phone notes. There's also something meaningful about handwritten entries that digital records simply can't replicate.