Analytical dads - use mood charts

Have you heard of mood charts? If you're a dad that loves his stats and analytical information this is for you (and if you're not that kind of that just try it out anyway). The basic idea of a mood chart is that all family members plot how they are feeling each day on a chart and join the dots (ideally in different colours). Over a month you can see how you've been doing as a family in terms of your emotional state. The chart can be a great conversation starter to ask the kids or your partner why they are feeling the way they do. All you really need is a big piece of paper and a dateline at the top of bottom (which you can easily make by writing all the dates and days of the week for a given period on the chart).

There are also plenty of iPhone apps that do the same but it's actually nice to have this chart up on the wall in a central place somewhere (e.g. the kitchen). It's a great and easy way to check how people in your house are doing(especially if you've got a large household with many family members).

Give it a go!

-Stef