We were outside at the playset one afternoon this past week and Eli requested I tell him a story. He’s always making up stories so I guess he decided he needed a break from all the work and wanted to hear someone else’s made up stuff.
I might be crafty with a glue gun and paper or even upon occasion fabric or other materials. I think I can cook decently and do a few other things nicely but I am not a storyteller. I guess it is the practical gene in me. Don’t get me wrong, I love to read. I just don’t seem to have the ability to make this stuff up.
So I started telling him the story of a boy named Kreeli who fought a dragon and saved his friends, LukeDuke and Burwill, and his sister, Bliza. Yeah, after that story I was out of juice. I didn’t have much to begin with but I was tapped out after the dragon.
But as in all things with kids, the thing that you most want to disappear becomes the most favoritest thing they can imagine.
Every night this week I’ve had to tell a Kreeli and Bliza story. Sometimes I slip and say Eli and Liza and he reminds me that these kids names are Kreeli and Bliza. I guess he has to maintain the wall or something. I’ve tried to keep the stories fantastical but the last couple of nights they’ve deteriorated into rehashes of the day or previews of the next day. He doesn’t seem to mind as it netted him pancakes this morning since Kreeli had pancakes last night in his story.
The nicest part of this is that it allows me to reinforce stuff we’ve discussed during the day. Kreeli never kicks other kids on the soccer field. He’s kinder than that. Kreeli always watches out for Bliza and takes care of her. Kreeli always does the brave thing, the kind thing, the smart thing. So while in the beginning it was annoying for me to do, it’s starting to grow on me.
11 Comments
what a wonderful mom you are!
You have come upon a great teaching tool to reinforce in your children the character traits you want them to have. This is what stories are suppose to do for our children and for children who are never read to and told make-believe stories loose in areas of character building.
Clearly, you need storytelling classes from Randall. I can probably arrange that …
Funny. That’s almost always what I do with Sam’s stories at bedtime and naptime. In fact, they used to be actually make believe stories or stories I just new like “The Three Little Pigs” (which is actually kinda scary by the way). They have totally turned into rehashings of the day or preparation for what’s ahead or what my Mom calls “social stories” which she uses with her kids to help build positive traits. In fact, Sam prefers those over the fables and even the train stories. He always says, “Mama, tell me a story about me.” It’s fun seeing how he processes them. Of late, they are stories about potty training or how cool little brothers are, and surprisingly, he stills loves them! In fact, I end up hearing portions parroted back to me later. Crazy.
Misty, you are a genius!
I think I may know LukeDuke and Burwill.:)
When I read stories like this, I start really looking forward to Z being able to talk and seriously cognate. I wonder what kinds of stories he will make up!
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I love your storytelling story. It’s charming! My three year old just started asking for stories, so I tell him about Presto the toy sitting dog. And yes, it takes lots of juice to come up with new adventures and keep the stories straight!
Joy: I actually thought of what you told me your mom said about this and thought it might be a good way to do some reinforcement.
Aaron: You will continually be shocked at what will come from Z’s mouth!
Virginidare: Thanks for visiting! Sure you can add us! Welcome!
I will have to have a Kreeli and Bliza story ready to tell when I come to Huntsville.
Way cool, Misty! Will have to remember that when great nephews and neices are old enough! I’m not a terribly imaginitive storyteller, either!