“Mommy, can you tell us a story.”
The request came from the darkened backseat as we drove late one evening. Her brothers were already drifting off to sleep, but my girl has never been able to sleep well in the car. As she rested her head on the side of her booster, I began to tell stories and slowly, so slowly she relaxed. I wrapped up the final story and said a bedtime prayer as she allowed her eyelids to close and sleep to overcome her little body.
Telling our children stories gives them a peek into our hearts—opening the door for connection.
Stories come in all shapes and sizes.
Sometimes I tell long stories dragging out all the details to pass time while we wait. Other times I tell super-short stories so I can move on to something else. Sometimes I share my own childhood memories, sometimes a made-up story, sometimes a retelling of a favorite story.
It’s not about the type of story or how long the story it—it’s about a time of sharing and connecting.
Weaving stories into our children’s childhood memories by telling them often will create bonds that hold for years to come.
Stories have a powerful way of connecting hearts through shared experiences, memories, and feeling, and by telling those stories to our children, we cultivate heart connections with them.
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