Years ago, before I was a husband or dad or even the Grand Poo Bah, I took a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for charity. We climbed with help from a tribe of people called the Chaga. The Chaga are an indigenous African tribe with deep ancestral roots in Tanzania, where they tend to live on the southern and eastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Each evening, the Chaga built a fire, gathered together and sang. It was their way of telling the story of their day; how their lives were unfolding and shared with each other. I came to learn that the campfire was the heart of their society. It's how they keep warm, how they cook, and how they share.
This desire to gather together and tell stories isn't unique to the Chaga. Storytelling is as old as humankind and is the foundation on which cultures and families have been built over time. Even today, experts believe it is an amazing tool to help us teach, explain, and entertain while refining our listening skills and creativity. But most importantly, it allows us to create a sense of history and heritage, a sense of togetherness.
As the dad of three kids, juggling our daily routine -- get everyone up, off to school, off to work, back to school for pick-up, make dinner, into bed -- the likelihood of a little song and storytelling, like the Chaga, seems out of the question. Or is it? Their culture's campfire is like our society's kitchen table. Their songs a way of asking how the day was.
Sure, I admit, getting my seven-year-old twin girls to tell what they did each day isn't an easy task. Their standard response tends to land somewhere between "I don't know" and "Nothing." So rather than squeeze information out of them, we try to weave storytelling into our day.
Whether it's a yarn from my mum about her childhood or retelling a story together about a family vacation, we try to get everyone involved and make sharing fun and easy. What follows are some story starters that can help get the fire of inspiration lit at the kitchen table:
Picture This
Photos are a wonderful way to prompt storytelling, and digital photography makes it easier than ever to print pictures when you need them. Try picking five photos, a good mix of snapshots from the past (your childhood, great-grandparents) and the present (family trips, soccer, school portraits). Or try themes like pets, birthdays or holidays past. Place the photos in the center of the table during dinner and watch how the stories -- and your kids' interest -- come so easily.
Boo-Boo Show and Tell
My dad captivated my three-year-old one night with the story of how he lost his teeth. My children love to hear how I got the scar on my knee as a child. Have you ever broken a bone? Do you remember when you lost your first tooth? Every boo-boo tells a story.
Remember Your Childhood
Put yourself in your kids' shoes and tell stories from when you were their age. Remember the first time you went on an airplane? Your first bicycle? What was something that scared you as a child? What was your favorite blankie or stuffy? By sharing your experiences, you become more connected to your children.
Create a Living Family Tree
Every grandparent, aunt and uncle has a tale to share. The greatest gift you can give your kids is to capture as many as you can. Videotape your parents reminiscing about how they spent their vacations or favorite things they did with their mom and dad. Ask family members to e-mail you specific things about their childhood, like their first day at school, first pet or favorite food as a kid. Then, watch the videos together or read each e-mail to your kids at dinner or bedtime. You'll find it's easy to create a sense of history and heritage that brings generations closer together.
Remember Your Childhood
Put yourself in your kids' shoes and tell stories from when you were their age. Remember the first time you went on an airplane or your first bicycle? What was something that scared you as a child? What was your favorite blankie or stuffy? By sharing your experiences, you become more connected to your children.
Create a Living Family Tree
Every grandparent, aunt and uncle has a tale to share. The greatest gift you can give your kids is to capture as many as you can. Videotape your parents reminiscing about how they spent their vacations or favorite things they did with their mom and dad. Ask family members to e-mail you specific things about their childhood, like their first day at school, first pet or favorite food as a kid. Then, watch the videos together or read each e-mail to your kids at dinner or bedtime. You'll find it's easy to create a sense of history and heritage that brings generations closer together.
About the Author:
By day, Richard Tait is co-founder and Grand Poo Bah of Cranium, Inc., maker of award-winning games, books and toys. By night and weekend (and every other point in-between), he's juggling three kids, email, family dinners, homework, bath time, and, yes, play. Driven by the belief that the world needs more shining moments every day, Richard is constantly uncovering new ways to help families -- including his own -- transform the minutes they have together into memories filled with laughter, discovery and connection.
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