I joined Mouthshut just a day ago, and I wonder why, but I have got so addicted to the idea of writing, writing and more writing. And more so, Mouthshut has inculcated such a deep desire in me to write
about absolutely unconventional and remote issues, which probably one could never really relate to or even think of in today’s fast times. Anyways, this article comes as the result of the inability of my Aunt to narrate a successful and interesting story to my cousin Simran, a lovely and mischievious 4 year old girl. This is especially for those parents who love and who want to read to their children.
How best can you pass on your world view to your children ? I suggest telling tales .... Parents are encouraged to read to their offspring, but it’s not a substitute for communicating the values that shape your own life.
Since many of our most powerful experiences come from family life, family stories have an immediacy that capture a child’s imagination. Even at a young age, children love to hear about their parents’ childhoods, how grandma met grandpa, as well as finding about themselves - how they were born and what they were like as a baby.
Telling stories does not require any special skills or powerful imagination. It simply demands using your memory. Children are hungry to hear about the first time you went to school or when you did something naughty you regretted.
At a time when the mass media appears all-powerful, it is easy to forget that oral storytelling can make an important difference. And the earlier you start, the more you can have some say in your child’s moral education.
Story Telling Tips :
1. Keep the storyline simple and short.
2. Use a lot of detail - ’’I wore a yellow shirt,’’ etc.
3. Be prepared to answer questions.
4. Don’t worry about using words with which children are not familiar.
5. Always give the story a clear ending.
6. It does not necessarily need to contain a lesson. Its enough for children to feel part of something real.
7. It need not be a big event - how you lost a favourite toy or handled a scary situation is great.
8. A photo album is a wonderful prop for getting started.
Last but not the least, children are God’s gifts to mankind. Love them with all you heart, and teach them all the good values, cultures and morals of life. Good Luck and God Bless .... :) Thanks.