In today’s western world, children’s lives are more scheduled than in any other time in history. In addition to a full day of school, Kindergarteners have homework and first graders have soccer practice. What used to be a typical schedule for an active high school sophomore is the daily routine for many children. Is there time for a story?
Fictional stories may often be considered a distraction, an indulgence, something unproductive, or just a way for young children to learn how to read. But stories offer much more then just a distraction from an otherwise busy routine.
Stories offer children a broader picture of life. Today’s parents want their children to have a healthy sense of self-esteem. Both parents and teachers want children to feel good about themselves. For example, in the Christian tradition children are taught that they are made in the image of God and God is good. Parents want children to feel safe in the world. Parents want children to interact with “good” people. However, this can be very confusing to children who deep down know they are not always good. Children also know that even when they are good, they would probably prefer to do things that are not good at all. How do we reconcile this great disparity?
Storytelling offers a child relief from the internal pressures of being “good” all the time. In a busy day, with many structured activities which require a child to be obedient to a tight schedule, children can find solace in stories. Just like adults enjoy fictional stories, children enjoy living vicariously through the hero or heroine in an intriguing story. Instead of fearing that they are a monster inside because they know they would like to be “bad” sometimes, a child can find peace deep within themselves by watching a movie, reading a book, or listening to a story where the main character copes with their own negative attributes successfully.
Hiding children from violent emotions, primitive drives, loneliness and isolation actually creates more anxiety in children. Children begin to disown these “negative” parts of themselves. Children begin to fear the monster inside of themselves which no one else can know about. Ultimately, this pattern leads to excessive achievement to prove ones “goodness” or various addictions to numb the stress from a lack of integration within ourselves. Storytelling offers a way to integrate the human and the divine alive within us all.
Related articles
- Thoughts on Bringing Children To Worship (gatheringinlight.com)
- The steps and advantages of storytelling. (peltjournal.wordpress.com)
- Children’s bedtime stories on the wane, according to survey (theguardian.com)
- 6 Ways You Can Make A Child Loves His or Her Books (nakanno1.wordpress.com)
- Parents’ genes may influence children’s back to school fears (sciencedaily.com)
- Traditional bedtime story dying out, study says (telegraph.co.uk)
Legends and Fairytales 