From Journaling to Planning

In Z's school, elementary kids fill up a few lines in a journal near the end of the day. It's a list of things they did that day. Now, in 3rd grade, Z decided that he will make a list in his journal in the morning -- the plan of things he was going to do that day. Then, at the end of the day, he checks it off, scratches out what he didn't, and adds in any extras.

The thing I find interesting is that he was not asked to do this. From what he says, he did not see any other kid doing it. I would not be too certain of this type of self-reported fact; nevertheless, there is no requirement or push for him to continue to do it. So, what I find interesting is that he must "get" something from it. Probably he gets something similar to what an adult would get: a sense of control over his activities for the day.