What do you mean by a story? What exactly it tries to do to a reader? What are the benefits that it gives out to you?
So many questions pop in our minds when someone mentions stories. Stories have a long history and were probably being told before a lot of languages that exist today were even invented. It is as old as human communication. We all relate to each other through stories. Stories about what happened to us, with us or our loved ones now or years ago, what we hope and wish for and so on.
The role of stories in our childhood:
Also, there used to be a dedicated time to listen to the stories and people used to be physically and mentally present during the sessions. The plethora of subjects included sagas of the warriors, the rulers ruled, the kingdom and the people involved, the folk tales, fables, moral stories etc. Even the simplest of tales would be admired as an erudite learning and becomes a base to our growing minds. We all have some stories that have made the person that we are and have been a building block to our innocent childhood.
If we look back, our grandparents eagerly talked about the fictional characters and transported us to the world of those beings with so much ease. We used to wait for the story sessions as they involved a lot of interactive learning.
Stories- the simpler, the better:
As stories have a great impact on a child and one should make sure to practice with the kids more often. It doesn’t matter if a story is short or very simple but we could always use our imagination to stretch a short story or read a story in the manner that all the imagery comes into action. The power of vivid imagination builds a child’s future. The flying animals and animated talks will not make sense to us but it will definitely trigger the child’s mind, thereby making a child creative.
Today technology has taken control of the time spent by humans making one trapped in its own network. The time spent in mobiles, television and laptops have exponentially increased thereby reducing the session of storytelling and listening. We all are in a tearing hurry from morning till night. In this daily rigmarole, we neither have the liberty to listen to a story nor have time to read a story to our child. But having said that, stories do have an ability to connect ourselves with our child. It helps to maintain togetherness and bonding. Yes, it has an ability to bring a parent and a child closer.
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How stories help in parent-child bonding:
- Read any story to your child. See her/ his face lit up with your emotions, gestures and words.
- Narrate each story from the bottom of your heart. You child sees you and wants your attention and interest.
- It does not matter if you are not a good story teller, he/she wants you to make it interesting by the way of emotions, visuals and right ideas. You can re-read a story million times with different perspective or idea of yours.
- The fairy tale could be changed according to your thought flow or a very sad ending could be given a nice, rosy kind of feel. Only, your ideas matter and the creativity to weave
- Having said that, remember do not go into the journey of storytelling halfhearted as your child is very clever to notice that. Be mindful about it and also be open to the idea of reading in a manner that your child wants.
- Your idea and thought will always support the child but listen to your child too. Let them envision the story like they want to and give them a chance to build it accordingly.
- Do not hurry into it. Take necessary breaks and lead them into it. This will make the journey interesting and fruitful.
KSP Team
Mansi Zaveri
KSP Team
Janani S Koushik
KSP Team
KSP Team
