“Stories… create our first memories … from the stories we hear as children we inherit the ways we talk about how we feel, the values which we hold to be important, and what we regard as the truth.” This quote from author and educator, Margaret Meek, shows how deep the roots of stories go in our lives.
Family stories are important cornerstones of developing children’s understanding of their world. Lucy Calkins says in her book Raising Lifelong Learners, “Stories are a family’s way of saying ‘this is who we are.’” When a child begins telling their stories it the first step of self-identification.
Sharing family stories is a great example of forming values, teaching responses, expectations and stretching the mind of children. As Calkins says, when we share our stories we are, “weaving the tapestry not only of who we have been but of who we will be.”