The stories we tell our kids

It is not uncommon for Elisabeth to sit down with one of her favorite books and "read" it out loud. The books that she knows best, she can recite word for word, and even the ones that we don't read that frequently, she can often trace the story line, and retell the story in broad brush strokes.

That amazing ability that children have to comprehend, internalize and recite stories speaks something of the importance of which stories we tell (and read to) our children. We may think of them as merely silly stories (like the Sandra Boynton books), but in fact we are teaching our children a view of reality. If all we read are silly books, our children will, quite naturally, assume that stories don't convey meaning; they simply entertain. However, if the stories we select both teach and entertain (like most of Kevin Henkes' picture books), our children will become accustomed to the power of a great storyteller to convey meaning through a story.

Stories are impeccable teachers. On Sunday, Elisabeth persistently asked me if she could bring her purse to children's worship. When I said no, she asked if she could bring her phone. When she was denied again, she tried yet again. It was only then that I realized that a story would help her understand. I asked her, "Do you remember what happened in Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse?" That was all it took for her to understand the hazards of bringing toys to church.