The Motherless Mother's Guided Journal: Prompts for Remembering and Connecting with Mom Throughout the Parenting Journey

The Motherless Mother's Guided Journal provides a space to write down memories of Mom, unpack her influence on your parenting journey, and weave an intergenerational connection — no matter how long she’s been gone.

With space to:

- Reflect on memories of mom, record facts about her life, and memorialize stories (like those you might one day share with your own children when telling them about their grandmother)
- Journal to mom on important milestones (your children’s birthdays, graduations, days that meant a lot to your family when she was alive, etc.)
- Understand your mom’s impact on your parenting journey (such as writing down the things you “only understand now” about choices she made)
- Write about parenting struggles, celebrations, and moments you wish you could call her and ask for her advice
- Imagine what advice your mom might have given about such struggles
- Journal general messages to mom throughout the years
- Bring ritual, attention, and sacredness to a relationship that still lives in your heart — the one you share with your mom

With ways to memorialize, reflect, and integrate your mom’s journey with your own, the Motherless Mother's Guided Journal is a tender balm for the mother who carries grief alongside the joy of parenting.

Common Questions:

What if I had a tense relationship with my mom when she was alive?

This is more common than not, as the mother/daughter bond is so complex. If it feels safe, journaling can be a means to understand, transform, and heal - even after Mom is gone. We can intentionally conjure her highest self, rather than her imperfect human form. Trust your gut here.

What if I am estranged from my still-living mom?

Though you might still benefit from some of these practices, this journal was designed to support those whose mothers have passed away. It's likely not a fit for those who are estranged.

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The Motherless Mother Journal origin story:

After finding an old notebook that she had shared with her late mom, author Melissa Pennel had a thought.

What if I keep writing to her in here?

Motivated by both grief and longing, she began filling the remaining pages of the journal with memories, requests for help, and the sometimes meaningless stories she would’ve called to share with Mom. This journaling became a practice that she turned to on holidays, anniversaries, or especially tender moments…such as becoming a mother herself.

Longing for a place to integrate the grief, love, and parts of the parenting journey that are so deeply influenced by our moms, Melissa created the Motherless Mother journals.

The truth is that just because someone is gone, our relationship with them doesn’t end. Your mother is present on your parenting journey because she lives within every part of you; let these journals conjure that connection and remind you of your own inner strength throughout the parenting journey.