When we tell children bedtime stories of our own, we may not realise how much of our own personal history and our own beliefs and dreams go into the stories. They also allow us to slow down and unlock our own childlike imagination.
Having a book read to us is one of the most special moments I remember from my childhood and, as the Society for Storytelling tells us, it “is at the root of every art form: we think in story form, make sense of our world in narrative – from something we’ve seen – from last night’s television, to what family and folk stories we remember and retell.”
The 10th Annual National Storytelling Week (30th January – 6th February) reminds us that it’s the most traditional form for communicating “from generation to generation” that entertains, educates, and provides therapy.
I fondly remember once being tucked into bed and rather than asking for my usual fix of Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, Rudyard Kipling and Beatrix Potter, I asked for a unique story just for me.
At first, the stories were not particularly forthcoming, my parent was embarrassed and nervous that they wouldn’t get it right, that their storytelling skills weren’t up to scratch. But I patiently waited and eventually, regardless of the result, I was happy for the time my parents’ spent with me.
This instigated a new evening routine where books were put to one side as I listened to my parent, scrabbling from their minds a story that wouldn’t be in any book. Certainly there were elements borrowed from the fables, myths and fairytales of my bookshelf, but I delighted in the mystery of what my parents created. They were unique, often personal and involved a little girl who had the same name and address as me, who rather than going to sleep went on midnight adventures in her garden of fairies. The time was for both of us.
During National Storytelling Week both adults and children alike can embrace the enjoyment of a story by partaking in events within the local community, such as those put on by the School of Storytelling in East Sussex, or at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh.
What’s your favourite story? And who told it? jorg&olif would love for you to share your fond memories with us, below.
Photo 1: Flickrized
Photo 2: Nathalielaure
