Revive the lost art of bedtime stories

“I will defend the importance of bedtime stories to my last gasp,” says J.K. Rowling, the lady who gave us the magic world of Harry Potter. This comment is not only for kids (or parents) interested in creative writing. Bedtime stories for kids are good for everyone, no matter what their career interests may be.  Here are some suggestions on how you can revive this lost tradition of family bonding.  

Schedule regular family time 
Let’s admit it - spending quality time with our parents or children on weekdays is a luxury now. But we are missing the magic of family time. Reading a story to your children at bedtime will take about 15 minutes. If you are reading from a book or an online library, you can stop each new story at an exciting point, and keep the rest for the next night, just like a web series episode. Put up an alert in your scheduler, just like a work meeting, and once you get into the habit, it will be so enjoyable that reminders wouldn’t be needed anymore.   

Use stories as brain teasers  
In August 2015, the American Academy of Paediatrics published a study. They read out stories to kids between 3 and 5, encouraging the children to look at pictures if any, and interact while listening. The results revealed quantifiable differences in brain activation between kids who are read to regularly and who aren’t. Bedtime stories can broaden vocabulary, develop better language and communication skills, open up imagination and design thinking. These are all life skills and parents pay to inculcate them in kids. Why not start a simple ritual of reading them something interesting at night?  

Start story games  
Encourage your kids to come up with alternate endings or pick up favourite characters and make an original story. They get one day to think it up, and ‘present’ the story next night. You can compete with them. It’s a refreshing exercise and helps in thinking out of the box. You can also encourage them to write and illustrate their version, and award them by posting good entries on Instagram or Facebook.