The end of summer, is always bittersweet for me. Sad to have wonderful carefree days end but happy to be back to Storybook in September with your children.
This summer in particular, I've enjoyed a lot of time with my three adult children. They love reminiscing about their childhood. I love it too since it's heartwarming to hear they have so many good memories. Believe it or not, their recollections sometimes serve as inspiration for our classes. Just this past weekend, my children recalled a Moran Family bedtime tradition. Unanimously, their favorite bedtime routine was listening to "Tina Stories".
Years ago, (not quite sure how it all began) I began telling my children "Tina Stories"-simple and often funny stories about my childhood. These "windows to my past" were the most requested stories at bedtime. When I would announce that I had a "Tina Story", my children would run upstairs, jump into bed and wait patiently. As with any good story, there were times when they requested the the same story over and over. Each story had a different theme; my pets, my friends, my teachers, my activities, my parents, my siblings, my beloved grandmother, just to name a few. I tried to remember events that happened when I was about their age, and in doing so, they took comfort that I too wasn't perfect. I really had no idea until this summer how much all three loved this tradition. Hopefully, they'll carry this forward when they have their own children!
Why am I telling you all of this? Just hearing my children recall in detail some of the funny stories from my past, served as another reminder that the simplest things in childhood are the best. Stories and memories, we all have them. Why not use them to educate your family about your past, my guess is your stories will become their favorites too. Let's all continue to rethink childhood together!