The numerous advantages of storytelling in family life and child education are discussed in a number of well-known writings. This is a personal assessment of the aspects that I deem to be of the utmost importance, with a focus on those that are rarely discussed but may be useful.
The capacity to tell a story and convey values is without a doubt the greatest benefit of education. It’s possible that we haven’t fully implemented it, but if you think about it, the majority of the values that are more deeply ingrained in our personalities came to us through a story: In “The Three Little Pigs,” for instance, we stressed teamwork’s significance. We were being shown by “The Tortoise and the Hare” that constancy and modesty had paid off, and “The Cicada and the Ant” showed us that working was more profitable than being late.
This is not by chance. There is a logical argument that connects the various parts of every story, including tales, making them much simpler to remember. Our memory stores this way precisely because the plot is the glue that holds them all together and, as a result, the easiest way to access the story’s remaining details. Additionally, the best way to retain a story’s moral is through its moral. For instance, it’s easy to forget everything about the cicada and the ant, but keep in mind that one spent time with the other while the other worked hard to store food.
Second, and firmly connected with the abovementioned, is the value of stories to show new things. The story makes it simple to access additional details precisely because it is easier to recall the main story and its significance as a link. In point of fact, stories have always been used to convey concepts and information, beginning with the Bible and Jesus of Nazareth, whose parables were a method of instructing in a very concrete way. I still remember the story of a classmate at school who always got bad grades but surprised everyone by getting a good grade on a review of the history of the First World War because he had seen a few movies about it. However, personalized stories before bedtime are powerful tools for education and teaching and allow for a strong connection with the children. Children, who are accustomed to being the focus of their parents’ events, but no of their mind attention (too many parents have so much “brain noise” to park their concerns entirely, if only for a while), perceive this with great gratitude and enthusiasm. To be creative and original every day, we must devote all of our ability and attention, if only during that time. In addition, parents are required to listen to and care for their children in order to personalize a story—I always let them choose the main characters—giving children a sense of specialness. Because of the strong emotional connection, as taught in these stories, memorization and assimilation are made easier. My own children surprised me by recalling numerous minute details from stories I had told them a long time ago, but we never talked about them again.
Last but not least, as I like to do, telling stories in complete darkness with no books or illustrations and with the children lying on their beds is a very effective way to combat the lack of attention that many children these days are experiencing as a result of living in a world with so many visual stimuli. Utilizing an out of the room light, and with the consoling presence of their folks, youngsters are ready to open their ears to the world conveyed by the story, and without acknowledging it, they are figuring out how to concentrate; In addition, they use heard as their primary sense, which is quite the opposite of what happens during daylight. I usually take advantage of this situation to further stimulate their visual sense, but I do so in a creative way because too many stimuli that are so well-crafted may not help them develop properly. As a result, I paint stories and characters vividly, forcing them to imagine each scene.
I can’t come to an end without highlighting the benefits of personalizing stories (our article on how to create stories in the main menu is a good place to start if you think this is too hard to do every day). To “analyze” children’s daytime behaviors, a personalized story is an extremely effective tool. Through the story, we can praise what they did well or try to change what they didn’t do well by taking advantage of the proximity in time and their fresh memories of what happened. A story that clearly exemplifies the attitude we like is much more effective than several hours of sermons and good words in this very emotional moment because children are so approachable.
