Guest Blog: 3 Reasons To Turn Story Time Into Family Story Time
“The single most important thing you can do for your family may be the simplest of all: develop a strong family narrative.”
Those are the words of author Bruce Feiler, explaining how stories strengthen our families in his New York Times article “The Stories That Bind Us”. Here are three reasons that, in addition to learning about a family of three bears, you should tell your child stories about your own family.
1. You Will Raise Happier and Healthier Kids: Psychological studies at Emory University found that children who knew their basic family history (where grandparents grew up, the story of their birth, etc.) felt more in control over their lives and had higher self-esteem. They also coped better with stress because of the confidence that comes from being a part of something bigger than themselves.
2. Your Parents Will Love You For It: Sharing stories of their lives helps grandparents connect with their grandchildren. Grandparents often live far away from us; so asking them to tell their stories is a great way to give them a sense of purpose and involvement.
3. You’ll Learn Lots Yourself: Now that you’re a parent, chances are you appreciate your parents more than ever. You may even be the age your parents were when you first remember them. But how much do you know about their lives before you were born? Showing an interest will enrich your relationship, and you might be surprised by the things you learn.
Knowing the value of recording family history, my husband and I created StoryWorth.com, a service that makes it super easy to record your family stories. Each week, StoryWorth will email your parents a question about their lives. All they have to do is reply to that email with an email or a voice story. StoryWorth saves their stories in a beautiful online biography, and shares them with your family.
And because you’re part of the weeSpring family, we’d like to give you 10% off your first year.
Email me at [email protected] and let me know what you think!
Guest Blogger Krista Baum and her husband Nick created StoryWorth, a service that makes it easy to record your family stories.
