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Stories Across Time - Part VI

© Virginia Marin

Folklore Table of Contents

Storytelling is an effective way to build quality time with family. Tales do not have to be ancient to be enjoyed. Memory tales make wonderful stories. Although a person cannot remember his infant years, an adult relative can share remembrances of many wonderful stories from a child's youth. In this way the growing child will inculcate the stories into his memory where they become a part of him and remain forever.

Through personal stories, one can convey love, care, and traditions that make a family unique. A good time for a storytelling activity is while the family is doing something together, like eating, walking, or sitting in the park.

Ask each person to remember a special adventure or time in their lives. Indicate someone to act as a scribe, writing the story as it is told. Or, use a tape recorder if suitable. Tape recording can be fun, especially for the younger children. In this way, the actual voices and laughter are preserved.

Include plenty of time for remembering, summing up, and sharing the past. This can be repeated from time to time to add more information to the story or so the family can collect a series of family tales. A few general times to do this are at reunions, family holidays and visits with the grandchildren. Christmas is a time when many extended families get together, so plan early to include this in any holiday merriment. A guide for storytelling can be helpful.

However, no one has to wait for a special event or holiday to tell a family story. Anytime is a good time to share. Storytelling is a great way to share information about yourself or to convey that you understand what someone may be going through in his life. You may find the time is right when a family member is in a similar situation as one that you have experienced. Or you may want to record some tales while just sitting around the kitchen table on a rainy or snowy day. Need story starters? Consider these:

Life As A Baby

Where I was born; getting mother to the hospital; the kind of baby I was or you were; first words; favorite toys or games; how they got me (or you) to stop crying; how my name (or yours) was chosen; funny things I (or you) did.

Life As A Little One

First playmates; things feared or believed in; favorite things to do; first pets; favorite foods; first things such as walking and singing; funny things I did.

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