Tell Me A Story

Posted on March 16, 2009 
Filed Under Fathering, Parenting

Our family loves camping trips. The children have learned to appreciate the beauty of the Rockies, time away from routines and electronics, and the joys of a higher degree of interaction than is normally possible at home. We play more games, go on more hikes and eat more meals together as a family when we are staying out in the wild.

One of the most memorable things we do when we camp is sit around the camp fire and tell stories. My wife, being a good Texan, can recount things her relatives did or said with great relish and in a very entertaining way. She has some particularly “colorful” uncles who usually come up in the conversations – what escapades they’ve had, and how we laugh! I like to share about my years growing up in Wisconsin, and how I once stabbed my younger brother in the hand with my fork because he dared to sneak some food off my plate. The kids lap up such stories, and we often talk into the night much longer than planned.

Here’s an article about the power of telling stories to your children, especially during times of uncertainty. Its a reminder that everyone likes a story, and that a family’s heritage can be passed onto the next generation with power and great effectiveness – if we take the time and energy to help our kids see the past.

Have any stories you’d care to share? Leave a comment, please.

By the way, my brother still has a scar from that fork poke. I wonder if he tells his children about their uncle’s actions at the dinner table 35 years ago?

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