Bedtime Stories for Children
Rajni Sheth
April 15, 2008
A common advice given to a parent by counselors is to read to your child from a keen age. Reading is synonymous with bonding. As you speak to your child in your mother tongue, make sure to read to the child in the English language. The universal language helps the child to build his knowledge and vocabulary. Fables on animals, adventures entailing ghosts, dragons and volcanoes are much exciting for a child. Narration is truly an art, but do not get dismayed if you do not possess ultra oratory skills. For a child, parents are their world. Hence any story from your end is sweet sounding to them.
Creative individuals can partake in building short stories about simple things in life. Making up a story about a family and what chores each individual does, registers value in the child. If you include that your helper and driver are essential peripherals than run your home, the child masters the quality of respecting people and their work. English literature has exclusive books catering to children´s story. Bed time stories are special. If your child is below one year, you could go on to narrate a simple nursery rhyme. For e.g. Johnny Johnny – Yes Papa, though clichéd can be fabricated into a nice story about a child who ate too much sugar and spoilt his teeth. So much so, he had visit the dentist, thus inculcating the importance of food intake and also dental hygiene. Another virtue that can be ticked off here is honesty (as Johnny initially says, " No Papa") You will be surprised, that with a gentle reminder of the same story, there will be no tantrums experienced while brushing the teeth twice a day!
It is termed that boys love adventure and trekking kind of macho storylines and girls love candies and fairies. But keep the bed time story general. Before narration make sure you have no pending chores to attend or else drifting ´elsewhere´ will make you child disinterested. A little preparation is a must. If not, then stick to reading stories. For children who are yet to speak, it is a good idea to show them picture stories and later encourage them to point out the characters. Please be enthusiastic about the big eyed surprises, animation and occasional squeals.
In case your child is apprehensive of the witch or the green dragon emitting fire, is scary, then do not shut the book but explain to them about ´Good and Bad´ things. They like to see their hero master over the demons. Do include teaching qualities and a little about mythology for dramatic narrations. Let them understand the moral of the storyand the healing power of prayer before sleep.
Creative individuals can partake in building short stories about simple things in life. Making up a story about a family and what chores each individual does, registers value in the child. If you include that your helper and driver are essential peripherals than run your home, the child masters the quality of respecting people and their work. English literature has exclusive books catering to children´s story. Bed time stories are special. If your child is below one year, you could go on to narrate a simple nursery rhyme. For e.g. Johnny Johnny – Yes Papa, though clichéd can be fabricated into a nice story about a child who ate too much sugar and spoilt his teeth. So much so, he had visit the dentist, thus inculcating the importance of food intake and also dental hygiene. Another virtue that can be ticked off here is honesty (as Johnny initially says, " No Papa") You will be surprised, that with a gentle reminder of the same story, there will be no tantrums experienced while brushing the teeth twice a day!
It is termed that boys love adventure and trekking kind of macho storylines and girls love candies and fairies. But keep the bed time story general. Before narration make sure you have no pending chores to attend or else drifting ´elsewhere´ will make you child disinterested. A little preparation is a must. If not, then stick to reading stories. For children who are yet to speak, it is a good idea to show them picture stories and later encourage them to point out the characters. Please be enthusiastic about the big eyed surprises, animation and occasional squeals.
In case your child is apprehensive of the witch or the green dragon emitting fire, is scary, then do not shut the book but explain to them about ´Good and Bad´ things. They like to see their hero master over the demons. Do include teaching qualities and a little about mythology for dramatic narrations. Let them understand the moral of the storyand the healing power of prayer before sleep.