You know when I was growing up, people around me never really indulged in storytelling. My own parents did not have the habit of reading to me. I don’t remember how I got initiated into reading. It must be because my elder sister and dad were avid readers. But no one told stories at home. I think my maternal grandfather did a bit of it, but I don’t really recall them as I look back.
I am not a great storyteller myself though I make the effort with my children. I pick up a book and read to them. I did it much more with my elder son because we were such enthusiastic parents with our firstborns. Right from shapes and colors to small stories and picture books, we did it all. It was fun. My husband remembers tales especially those with a moral pretty well. And when he is in the mood, he tells those tales really well. He actually picked up this talent from his own father who was a fantastic storyteller.
I had the opportunity of listening to some lovely stories from my father-in-law when he was alive. My elder son also had his dadaji fondly tell him stories. It was a lovely experience. Except for him, no other elders in the family actually have the habit of telling tales.
Then a few weeks back we went to an Organic Gardening event in Bangalore. They had made arrangements for storytelling and treasure hunt which not only engaged the kids but they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The young man spinning stories did it so well with loud expressions, body movements etc. that even the adults queued up to watch. My younger son was enthralled. I have never seen him so engrossed in story after another story. Here is a pic from that day.
I am a member of an online library. I can place an order online and they deliver the books home. I recently discovered a series of books for young readers which has short stories with illustrations and big fonts. The stories are short enough for my younger son to read them at one go. I sit with him and read or nudge him along and explain to him if he misses the meaning.
The other day we were reading a tale about the Buddha. The story goes thus: A man is very upset with Buddha. He comes to the tree where Buddha is seated facing his followers. The man uses some very harsh words about him. Buddha has a smile on his face that stays put. The man expedites his tirade. But Buddha maintains his expression. He goes on and on for a few minutes and finally exhausted, he goes quiet. He, however, is baffled. The followers also seem enraged. But Buddha is calm. He asks Buddha about how come he is not angered? And Buddha calmly replies that none of his words affected him because he never internalized them. He has no control over what others speak, but he does not have to accept what they say. He rejects their words and hence his demeanor stayed calm.
I am sure all of us have heard a variation of this story sometime or another. But the conversation that ensued with my son was interesting. He could not understand how to do that? I don’t blame him. It is not easy for us adults to achieve either. A small slant or perceived insult has us flying off the handle. But, of course, it is a great lesson to know and imbibe.
Stories are the best way to convey morals and values to children. The subsequent conversations are quite refreshing. I think we must all make time for storytelling in our routines.
So, are you a storyteller? Do you enjoy storytelling to kids?
I, on the contrary, WAS a story-teller in my youth. Had a coterie of guys around me always in the school-bus to listen to my stories. Some from what I had read and some which I used to create myself. It stopped after then and, now, I am afraid I am unable to be the story-teller mama to anyone 🙂
Wow, that sounds like so much fun. I was almost certain of shipping my kids to storyteller Suresh when I read your last line. 🙂 Why so? Has the patience waned or the interest?
Ah! I too was of their age then Rachna and I was able to tell things in the way children could understand. NOW, I am unable to tell tales in the same way and would probably end up talking down. It is a wholly different art for an adult to tell a tale engagingly to a child and, I am afraid, I lack that talent.
You are absolutely right. You have to narrate to them in a way that engages them. Sadly, I lack that talent. I try to make it up by reading to them, well only Gautam. Sid reads everything on his own.
The story telling can make children really imaginative as I remember having spent hours engaged in this with my daughter! What better way to spend time:)
How wonderful, Rahul. You did great. Something else to admire about you.
I completely go with Buddha’s stand. I heard its another version. And yes Rachna, stories are the great way to cultivate morals in anybody 🙂
Thank you, Ravish. You are right. It takes time and wisdom to realize but the message is very important. Welcome to my blog!
That’s nice, Rachna.
i took my daughter to some story-telling sessions too. They learnt by dance & play.
Yes, I love stories & consider myself a story-teller.
Both my Grandmas & Mom told many stories! Thanks to them, I have a treasure-house 🙂
Oh, they love it, Anita. Now I wish I knew of places closeby that held such events. I would love to take at least the younger one again. Great that you are a storyteller. I am just a story reader. Somehow, I can never think of one spontaneously though I have read loads.
I love story telling and think it is a great way to bond with kids as well as encourage the idea of reading stories in our kids. This was a good post, Rachna, and I like the way you described how your son’s face lit up at the story teller 🙂
Thank you, Shailaja. I agree with everything you say about storytelling. I especially love the wonder and dialog that normally follows.
And I can proudly claim I am a story teller. To my brat. Who demands a story, in the mornings to get ready to daycare and in the night AFTER we have read like 3 books of her choice. Someone get me a mommy award here 🙂
Here is the tiara for you for being such a wonderful mom! Seriously you do that much reading to R everything. *Prostrates before the Goddess*
This post brought back so many memories. I was great at story telling for my daughter, with voice modulation too. I would pick up lots of books from the Delhi book fairs..gave them away as my child grew up. In fact, she loved it so much that I read bed-time stories well into her pre-teens 🙂 Stories are important to a child’s growth and grand parents add to the spice of it.
Wow, you are talented, Anita. Your daughter is lucky. I am sure she will fondly look back at all those tales that you told her. You are right; stories are important to children.
My grandfather was a storyteller. I learnt all my history and mythology through the stories he told me. Your post took me down the nostalgia lane Rachna !
Oh yes, I loved your grandfather’s Jallianwala Bagh tale that you wrote about. I sometimes regret not having someone to regale us with those personal tales.
Aww. That’s awesome, Rachna. For someone who dabbles a lot in “fiction and stories”, I have always found that story telling is beyond me. Most of the times, I blame it on my bad memory. So when I do have to tell my son stories, I usually make them up as I go along. Of course, I try to reading to him – but to toddlers, most things are greek and latin, bar a few words that they do have in the vocab.
hehe Sid. Same here. I am a lousy storyteller. I just can’t remember tales. Wait till Rishi grows up a bit more. Then the conversations you will have around tales will be really interesting.
I’m an awful storyteller..But i can read books with kids..I do that with my brother-in-law’s daughter..She calls me the storybook chachi…I like reading with her, we even play games you know like naming fruits, vegetables or places..We do some colouring as well…But don’t know how much patience I will have when I have my own kid…
hehehe Yes, wait till you have your own. I can read too but storytelling is an altogether different ballgame.
I don’t consider myself a storyteller, but I am in awe of people who can tell good stories! And I am a big advocate of using storytelling in classrooms…sadly we don’t see much of that happening in our schools but there is a lot of potential there. I believe even subjects like science and mathematics can be made much more interesting using creative storytelling 😉
Very good post, Rachna!
Thanks, Beloo. Me too. I am in awe of people who can narrate stories with a flourish. You are absolutely right. I wish they could use storytelling as a method of teaching to enliven seemingly boring subjects.
Like yours, no one told stories when I grew up. My aunt (mom’s younger sister) was a good story teller. The days we spent with her she told us stories. She even tells stories to my daughter now. On the contrary, I do read out stories to my kids sometimes but I forget stories to recite to them. I have to read them again to tell them. But whenever I read them, I do with all the expressions and sounds and explain in detail till they are bored .Though there are many story telling sessions in the libraries here, I never get the time to take them 🙁
Exactly the same with me. I read so much, so many tales but when the time comes I can’t recall any to narrate to them. Oh, you should try over the weekend. The libraries in US are fabulous.
We are a family of pathetic storytellers. Your post reminds me of an incident Rcahna.
When my son was 4 or 5, he insisted on listening to a story – something new, not from the story books he had. Since I couldn’t come up with anything, I requested my dad to narrate a story. So the grandfather tried his best- there were two boys who fought a notorious dacoit. After sometime my son came running and said, ” Mummy, Nana does not know any new. story. He is telling me the story of Sholay.” And we all had a good laugh.
Loved the post.
hahahha Alka! I laughed and I laughed. Sholay ki kahaani. Poor Goutam :). Dekho this is one more trait we both share; we are pathetic storyteller.
Oh yes, storytelling is wonderful ! Its lovely to hear stories and I too endeavor to tell my son as many stories as I can. He loves hearing alien stories and I keep incorporating moral values into it 🙂 strange are the creatures that I have invented from a planet which is not in our solar system but he enjoys all of them and remembers the tiniest detail should I dare make a mistake in my future stories.
hehehe That sounds really innovative and creative, Ash.
I don’t think I am a good story teller, but I used to read stories to my son. I have seen a story telling session at a large book store and I was amazed at the way that young girl captivated everybody’s imagination through her expressions and voice. Sharing stories with children is a great way to bond and share some values and lessons too!
I am just like you. I can read and narrate stories but I can’t remember them and tell them with a flourish. But this young man, he was an artist. The way he was engaging tiny tots was commendable.
Storytelling makes children imaginative . It’s learning along with entertainment. I used to tell different stories to my son and I stopped at an interesting point and told him …now it’s your turn to read the next part …read it and tell it to me. His habit of reading books has also developed from it.
Nice approach, Maniparna. I do that too sometimes and their imagination is stunning. My younger son gets antsy. He wants the story to reach the end quickly :).
I would look forward to summer breaks because that’s when we had our Mom all to ourselves. Everyday she’d read to Bengali stories to us and we’d listen to her enthralled. My fondest memories of my grandparents revolve around the times we lay on the bed, listening with rapt attention to the stories of their childhood.
That sounds so lovely. I loved the tales that my maternal grandfather used to narrate about his own childhood.
I have never give a thought weather i could be a good storyteller.You might be good in expressing yourself through pen but story telling is all together a different art. Let me polish my skills before i enter motherhood & thanks for reminding.
That is wonderful. Glad you liked the post, Anu.
Historically,there are stastics to prove that children who grow up to whom parents read books,turn out to be relatively more intelligent
Absolutely true. We all read to our kids. Here I was talking about impromptu storytelling.
I make up stories all the time and talk all the time. But sometimes i do wish some one told me stories 🙂
Really :-D.I prefer reading.
Come to think of it nobody read out stories to me either… I guess offlate with the advent of technology it has become necessary to do so, it is a sound way to ensure kids pick up the habit to read and learn. Given my love for books, I think i will enjoy story telling as well 🙂
P.S- been under the weather quite a bit so not been online much offlate,
Yes, I guess every one reads to their kids. At least every parent I know makes the effort to do so. But storytelling of the type which we saw our grandparents indulge in has vanished. Sadly, my children do not have grandparents who swap tales with them. I don’t remember stories but I do read books with them.
Do take care. I hope you get well soon.
My grandmother used to tell me wonderful stories of my own childhood. Lucky for my kids, my husband is a master story creator and teller! His stories feature my boys in an exciting adventure, so they love it!!
Yes, I have seen my husband do that. At least one of the two is talented in that department. I am supposed to be the creative one but fail miserably when it comes to animated storytelling.
I’ve seen some professional storytellers in action and have been impressed by how they get the complete attention of the kids and the fact that the storytellers genuinely enjoy the experience as much as, if not more than the kids!
I’m not much of a storyteller myself, but I can carry on long conversations with kids of all ages.
Yes, it is quite fascinating the way they tell a story. I was fascinated as well. I enjoy conversations with kids too.
I do every night to my 5 yr old son. I have begun narrating stories in libraries myself. free of cost. I know all these ppl from the blr story telling networek
IN fact we have around 200 books already at home. Such good books from international authors.It gives a nice bonding time with the child and he has learnt a lot from story books. In fact truly believe in learning thro stories. Again 1 child I have all the time 🙂
Thank you, cuddlesandreads. I am glad you do what you do. If there is anything that happens close to where I stay on Bannerghatta Road, I would love to take my children.
Vikram is a theatre personality, comes naturally
It shows! 🙂
I love reading to my daughter and she has inherited love for books from so many in our family. We read books most afternoons and almost every night (except when she is too tired for them). We too have a library membership and she loves visiting the place and picking up her own books.
That’s wonderful, Priya. I enjoy reading as well though I may not do it as often as you do.
That picture of the storyteller is worth a thousand words, isn’t it! My Daadi used to tell stories too. In fact, those are the only vivid memories of hers I have.
Nice, nostalgia filled post!
Oh absolutely! The kids heard 3 stories from him and were still reluctant to let him go. From the comments I got to know that he is a theater person. I have to find more such events especially for Gautam. Lucky about your grandmother. I remember that nana told us a few but can’t seem to recall any now. If I have grandkids, well they will hear a lot of tales. 😀
Well written, Such a great article. Rachna i was glad to visit your web. Really loved this. I’m not a story teller, and i don’t remember any story of my childhood. But after reading this i can make any story. Wish i could write the book. Thanks for sharing this.
Hmmm…My grandmother on my Dad’s side and my Dad were great storytellers. Often they would tell us stories from books (written by wrters, you know) but also, at times, they would make up stories, and they were to best because often these stories would take turns you don’t expect (Grandma ran out of muse every now and then). The same story she try to tell woud end diferent ways over the course of few days. Way to keep you on your toes 😉
When we grew up to school age, we had to get up around 7:45am to go to school. And guess what – at 7:50am they had a ‘Wake up, kids’ radio show – telling a 10 min story every day. That was the best part about waking up – someone is telling you story while you get dressed, wash your face, etc. Guaranteed!
Unfortunately, I don’t remember many of these stories…but I may ping my Dad, may be he would make up a new one for me 😉
How lovely, Iliana. You know my dad can really regale with the stories of his childhood but one has to pry them out from him. He is not a natural storyteller. Since I have idolized and loved him my entire life, I never miss an opportunity to hear more of his tales from his village (that I have never visited) or even his views on life.
Hey, and I loved that show idea. I remember Siddharth enjoying his Dora and Barney snippets before he went to school when he was a baby. Loved to hear your experiences.
I am a great fan of stories with Morals. I have a wonderful Grandma who used to tell us stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata apart from a few other moral stories. And I guess that is what pushed me to start reading. Thanks to my Dad and my sister, I started reading when I was at 4th standard and my sister used to pick out books for me to read an I gradually started reading various authors.
I’m not sure how effective I am as a story teller, but I get really involved when I’m recounting an incident to someone and I once remember how a niece was happy and clapped after listening to my story 🙂
Some people have the passion to churn stories out of thin air. I have seen some like that and really admire them for that. I can sadly only read. 🙂 Nice to know about your grandma.