Six Ways Storytelling Can Enrich the Holiday Season

Storytelling is such a central part of what it is to be human, that when any group of people gather they will end up telling stories. Holidays often create the perfect context for storytelling. In Australia, we've just finished celebrating Christmas. Of course, for some families, different religious or secular holidays may be celebrated across the year. These often coincide with holidays, religious observance, special food, music and in some cases, the exchange of gifts. Even if you don't have any religious convictions, you might well look forward to holiday seasons as a special time to catch up with family and friends. This inevitably leads to storytelling as we gather.

Let me share six ways that storytelling can enrich family time together during holiday times like Christmas.

1. Establish some traditions with reading

Our family has just finished celebrating Christmas. Like some other families, it is a time of significance for your family, as we attend church services and gatherings with family and friends. In the lead up to this event we would often share some books that centre on the central Christian message of Christmas. Books about Christian traditions have been shared in hundreds of different titles some are closely centred on the Christian message, others not so much (I shared lot of these books in my last post HERE). In classes that I taught I always found time for the Dr Seuss classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and many others. A story that centres on the theme that Christmas at its very core is about a special gift. Not so much about getting, but giving.

2. Sharing story through songs & music

Holiday time is often a time for music, and with this 'story'. We often overlook the key role that music plays in storytelling. Whether we are talking about religious songs or music in general, music and story are often intertwined. When people celebrate together, it often ends in music and song. As a child, I grew up in a house where music was sung and played often. This included lots of popular ballads, country, blues and pop. As well, as singing Christmas carols when we went for our annual holidays at the Lake Macquarie, on many a hot summer afternoon we ended up singing. At my grandparents’ home at Wangi Wangi, on a hot afternoon after a swim, we would end up with community singing on the front verandah of their house. At times 50-80 people would come out of their tents to join us on my grandparents front verandah. My parents would end up performing and leading the campers as they joined in.

Above: My parents performing at the time in a community concert

 

 

3. Sharing family anecdotes (but avoiding the controversial family ones)

Another wonderful thing about holiday seasons is that you have time to sit with our children and share "can you remember the time that..." stories. These build children's knowledge of the family and the world, as well as their own ability to share stories. "Tell us the story about the time you got lost in the bush Dad". "What was it like going to school when you were a kid Mum?" "What was the funniest thing that happened at school this year"? "Tell us another story Grandad from when you were a kid". As you share your own stories as parents, you help to build family traditions, as well as teaching them how to tell stories themselves.

4. Engage your children in preparations 

Having time to do things with your children as you prepare for a time like Christmas will often create those 'spaces' where things can be shared as we make the preparations. Taking them shopping isn't what I have in mind (this often doesn't end well!). I was thinking more about getting your children to help you to decorate the Christmas tree, or the family room. This isn't just for fun or to fill in time. It does do this, but it allows space and time to share stories and for your children to become better storytellers themselves. In the case of parents, you might share stories of the type "I remember when...". "Do you know where this Christmas decoration came from?" "Do you remember when you made this silver star"? Or perhaps, while you're getting your children to help make some decorations you can simply share jokes and anecdotes, or reminisce. One of the most special times at our house, is decorating the tree each year with decorations that our children made over 30 years ago! Just looking at precious decorations given to us by other people as gifts is a great language and story telling event. "Do you remember who made this?" "Did you know that this decoration was on my mother's tree". Stories will flow!

5. Get children involved in using 'procedural texts'

Above: Preparing a pudding with my granddaughter

One of our family's most treasured traditions is the making of the Christmas pudding.  As a child, my grandparents involved my sister and me in this activity. This was always one of our special family events at Christmas. I implemented the same tradition with my daughters, and more recently, my grandchildren. As well as the fun we have as we prepare for the cooking, we have to follow the recipe, share stories, and lick the bowls. This is a great language event as stories and anecdotes just flow. As we cook, literacy is also being acquired. And of course, the stories shared while we make the pudding become part of shared family history. "Tell us again Dad about the time you...".

Above: The 2018 boiled Christmas pudding cooked with my daughter Louise

6. Involve your children in the making of presents, cards and gifts

Some of my favourite presents as a parent have been the gifts that children made for me. It is fun to involve your children as we make preparations for the exchange of gifts. This might be making yummy food, lollies or snacks to share with neighbours. Once again, there are recipes to follow, stories to tell, gift labels to write, and much more. Card making is just one fun non-food way to link literacy activities to holiday seasons. As well, children might make a book to give to their grandparents or their teacher. Making items for family and friends to hang on their tree is a great literacy activity already mentioned above.

Summing up

Literacy and storytelling are implicated in pretty much all aspects of life. Holiday seasons are just one context that offer opportunities to ground storytelling in 'real' life. As we engage with our children every day, there are numerous ways that the stories we share can help to build their knowledge and their proficiency as users of language whether in spoken or written form. As well, we can develop a shared history that binds family members together.

9 Tips for Managing Children's Media Time

There are few parents that don't worry about the amount of time their children spend using media of one kind or another. Thirty years ago our major fear as parents was how much television our children watched. I can recall as a teacher surveying a class I was teaching and being horrified that the average TV time was 21 hours per week.

A decade later we added electronic gaming and videos to the list of worries. But in the last decade, we've seen an explosion of options as media of one kind or another, have become available 24/7 at our fingertips (literally).



Of course, right up front let me stress that I LOVE media, but we do need to control it, rather than having it control us and our children.

Why do we worry? 

• First, worrying about the mind-numbing potential that untold hours using media might have on our children.
• Second, worrying about the potential impact on health of the mind and body (being withdrawn, depression, anxiety, obesity....).
• Third, our fears about the 'stranger danger' risks of social media.
• Fourth, the loss of time to do other things that we see as important (school learning, family time, exercise, developing 'real' relationships not just virtual ones....).

What can we do?

1. Control our own devotion to media. Ask ourselves how much time we spend on varied media. Is our iPad or smart phone almost permanently in our hands? Do I retreat for hours to my computer to check emails, do work and isolate myself from family and friends?

2. Establish some basic rules in families and schools. How much time on the computer, iPad, TV, watching videos, gaming etc? Limits on specific categories? Rules about clashes with family activities? For example, none at the dinner table or at family events, none before homework, none until after they are fed at the end of the day and perhaps get some exercise? Sites that they cannot access? Shared computers in open 'public' spaces at home? [These rules need to reflect your family circumstances and children]

3. Be prepared to make younger children understand that age makes a difference. Your 8-year can't simply do everything that their 15-year old sister does. Age makes a difference to the rules. Explain why.

4. Take the time to understand the varied social media options that your children are using. You'll be surprised by some of them.
 
5. Understand that media is part of life and can enrich it enabling us to keep in touch, make new friends, communicate instantly, learn and so on.

6. Keep media out of bedrooms as much as is practical. We once would advise that we shouldn't buy a TV for every bedroom. This still applies but today hand held devices are a TV and more that we allow children to take everywhere. Establish some limits on access. For example, why not have all handheld devices placed in a box in the kitchen when they go to bed, or when lights go off?

Above: Children enjoying media together in shared family space

7. Try something radical if the above proves difficult. Perhaps have a timer on the family WiFi router so that noone gets a signal between specific hours. Have kid friendly filters that restrict children's access to specific sites.

8. Do educate them about the risks of social media as well as the benefits.

9. Above all, act as good role models. I know, I've said it twice because I think that this one is SO important. We set the example for our kids to follow.

Other helpful advice on parenting

New York Times Parenting Page (HERE)

All my posts on Media (HERE)

Is Homework Beneficial? Four Steps to Improvement

The vexed question 'Is homework useful?' is never far from conversations between parents about school, or between teachers when discussing parents. Like every teacher I have felt the pressure of parents wanting their children to do more homework. In spite of this I have never been a fan of homework in the primary years of schooling (age 5 to 12 years). Yes, homework does have a place, but not the exalted place that many parents want to give it.

Why you might ask? 


1. Because the vast majority of homework is banal and features drill of things that contribute little to the areas in which we want children to learn. Memorising spelling lists is a case in point (see my previous post HERE) with little contribution being made to the ability to write well.

2. Because school homework is often a substitute for things that are more critical to children's development. For example, play (posts HERE), discovery learning and problem solving (posts HERE), creative expression in varied forms and (dare I say it, rest at day's end).

3. Because it allows society at large to fill the school day with other things that parents have failed to teach their children and simply shift curriculum work to the category of homework, which has to be packaged in bundles that children can complete largely undirected (see #1).

4. Because it reinforces narrow definitions of learning, curriculum and assessment. Homework ends up being a type of test of that which should be learned at school, and this in the name of practice.

In short, school becomes squeezed by the imperative to test children's learning for public assessment (see related posts HERE), and the hours after school end up being used for largely non-directed and repetitive tasks that help children to pass tests delivered at school.

Is there an alternative? Yes!

Step 1 - Ensure that any after school time whether at home with a parent or carer or in after school care is spent well. Set high standards.

Step 2 - Control access to the things that distract children from rich learning and exploration. I'm thinking of course about 'screen' time (limit daily screen time), computers, gaming and television. But you may need to limit other things (that have merit and are useful) and become obsessive and shut out other options for learning.

Above: Screen time needs to be controlled, but it can also be a key tool for learning

Step 3 - Apply some simple tests for any after school 'homework'. Does it develop new knowledge and skills? Does it expand repertoires for learning - discovery, imaginative recreation, dialogue, observation etc? Is it enjoyable and challenging?

Step 4 - Make sure that you know what your children are doing, that you monitor it, and that you show genuine interest in what they are doing. 

What might post school time look like?

Hopefully time after school will have a level of planning (kids you need to do X, Y, & Z). Make sure that set agendas like sporting practice, music etc don't shut out everything else.

Start with down time - let them rest, talk to other people about their day, feed them, let them have some time to choose what they do (within predetermined limits).

Incorporate varied activities - some time outside to run around in an unstructured self-directed way; a time for exploration and discovery (this can include reading, viewing, hands on activities like craft drawing, construction etc); a time for school directed homework (I'd limit this in the primary years to no more than five times their age, i.e. thirty minutes aged 6, fifty minutes aged 10 etc); self-directed reading (e.g. HERE, HERE, HERE & HERE); family down time to chat and hang out.

Above: A different type of 'homework'

I understand that the complexity and varied nature of family life will always make after school time 'messy'. But we need to ask ourselves, how messy is it? What negative impact is the messiness having on family life and learning? What can I do to change things?

One thing I am certain of, the solution to the messiness isn't simply to ask schools to set more banal tasks, disconnected from 'real' learning which we police with minimal supervision.

I would love to hear your comments and suggestions.

Other posts

Other posts that address creativity, imagination and play (HERE)

Other posts that address homework alternatives (HERE)

The 4th 'R': Rest!

We live in an age of increasing busyness. A 2008 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report on how Australians use their time indicated that "..we are spending less time playing, sleeping, and eating and drinking, but longer working." In response to this report and the comments of a leading school principal, I wrote a post on the topic and focussed on how parents' increasing hours of work can impact on family life (you can read it here).

But there is another dimension to changing family life in our crazy and busy age. It is the loss of time for children just to play, rest and be kids. So much of our children's time is structured. As a teacher and parent I always questioned the incessant desire of schools to set hours of homework, and of parents to structure every hour after school and at weekends with planned activities. Allowing time for play inside and outside of school is important, and I have written extensively about its importance for children's learning, development, creativity and well being (see previous posts here).

However, a recent research report authored by Romina M. Barros, Ellen J. Silver and Ruth E. K. Stein, has indicated just how important rest is for children. The researchers examined the amount of recess 11,000 US children aged 8 to 9 years received, and compared the classroom behaviour of those children who had daily recess, with those not receiving daily recess. Teacher's rating of classroom behaviour scores was better for children with some recess than for those with none/minimal break. It was surprising that in this study 30% of the children sampled had little or no daily recess.

This research suggests that play and down time may be as important to academic success as the quality of instruction that teachers give. It appears that regular recess, fitness or time outdoors may influence children's behaviour, concentration and academic achievement. In commenting on the report, lead researcher Romina Barros said:

“....kids need [a] break because the brain needs that break.”

But is isn't just school recess that has been shown to have an impact on children's behaviour and achievement, other studies have pointed to the benefits of outdoor activities, sport and as previously discussed play.

For example, in a University of Illinois study, children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were found to have increased concentration on schoolwork when simply given a "dose of nature." The study found that students had greater attention after a 20-minute walk in a park. Interestingly, this was more effective than a walk in a downtown area or a residential neighbourhood. The study conducted by Andrea Faber Taylor and Frances E. Kuo was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Attention Disorders.

Similarly, Harvard medical researchers Chomitz, Slining, McGowan, Mitchell, Dawson and Hacker writing in the The Journal of School Health, (Vol. 79, No. 1) describe research findings that demonstrated a relationship between physical fitness and activity at school and academic achievement (here).

Implications for children and parents

We need to slow down children's lives. Free time is good time. A run in the park, unstructured play, time spent 'messing around', is time well spent. Our children need time each day to put agendas and timetables to one side, to burn off some energy, to run, explore and play. My advice is that parents should make sure that children spend at least 30 minutes every afternoon outside doing something physical or unstructured. This might involve you as parent as part of the activity, but it could simply involve your child playing with other children. If children have regular rest, play, exercise and unstructured activities they will be happier, better behaved, and most likely, more successful at school.

Related links

Research by Andrea Faber Taylor & Frances E. Kuo (click here)

New York Times article by Tara Parker-Pope (click here)

Abstract of the article by Barros, Silver, Stein, Pediatrics in Review (click here)

Harvard medical research study on fitness and academic achievement (click here)

The impact of new media on children

I’ve written previously on this blog about the impact of television on children (here and here). However, a new meta-analysis study has analysed the more general effects of media across 173 studies with worrying findings. The study was conducted by researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Yale University. It considered studies across a period of 30 years that adressed the impact of television, music, movies and other media on the lives of children and adolescents. The findings are worrying. For example, many studies showed that there is a significant relationship between time devoted to new media and a variety of health or behavioural problems, for example:

• 83% of studies found a relationship with obesity
• 88% found a relationship to sexual behaviour
• 75% found a relationship to drug use
• 80% found a relationship to alcohol use
• 88% found a relationship to tobacco use
• 69% found a relationship to ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

In releasing the report this week one of the researchers, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, of the NIH, commented that:

"The results clearly show that there is a strong correlation between media exposure and long-term negative health effects to children. This study provides an important jumping-off point for future research that should explore both the effects of traditional media content and that of digital media -- such as video games, the Internet, and cell phones -- which kids are using today with more frequency."

While there are many benefits of new media there are clearly disadvantages if children spend too much time with machines that generate images, and sound and not enough time with people, engaging in real relationships, exploring their physical world, playing, listening to stories and engaging in ways that stimulate them in other ways. I've written a great deal about the alternative benefits of things such as play (here), reading (here) and creative activities (here).

This latest research comes on top of an increasing number of studies that are demonstrating that excessive exposure to media like television, video games and computers, can actually change the activity and ‘shape’ of the brain as well as slowing down activity (I'll post on this later).

It’s important to keep stressing that new media has many benefits and that while excessive use can be a problem, it can also have benefits. For example, one interesting study at UCLA found that computer use for older people (aged 55-76) might even increase brain function for some (here). But the overwhelming message that we are receiving from research is that too much television, gaming or computer use can be harmful for children.

From my perspective, as a research interested in children’s early learning, my sense is that we haven’t even begun to consider the questions related to this topic. For example, what is the impact of the loss of play, book reading and human interaction on children? Evidence of a general nature and developmental research, shows that adult child interaction is critical to early emotional and intellectual development. This work alone would suggest that the loss of time spent playing, talking to others, listening to stories and so on, will be detrimental. There are other related questions. Readers of this blog will be ready to ask, how much time is too much? How little time with adults is too little? It’s difficult to answer such questions but here’s are a few suggestions based on what I know of research in learning, interaction, language and communication and emerging work on new media:

Children aged 0-2

• Constant interaction with adults (preferably a parent) – singing, talking to, providing different experiences, reading to them etc.
• No TV, videos etc - this is almost impossible if there are older siblings, but there are much more important things to do for the very young child.
  

Children aged 3-5

• Shared mealtimes – most if not all.
• Lots of interaction as part of everyday life – talking with them in the car, in the kitchen, in the bath, while watching TV together.
• Planned experiences – exploring the garden, the house, the physical environment, creative play, craft, music, and introduction to computer sites for kids (together!), lots of stories read to them (at least 30 minutes a day in several blocks), ‘writing’ and drawing.
• Deliberate efforts to cultivate shared interests with your children (special TV, favourite past-times or hobbies, music, sport etc).
• Limited TV or computer use (no more than 60 minutes per day).

Children aged 6-12

• Shared mealtimes – at least 10 meals a week together (with at least one parent, preferably two if there are two at home).
• Lots of interaction as part of everyday life – debriefing after school, chatting at mealtime, planned talk (ask them questions) as part of other activities.
• Planned experiences – provide varied experiences for your children including outings, the movies together, visit the library, shop together, visit people, do some outdoor physical activity together (the pool, some sport, the park etc), develop some shared interests and hobbies – build common ground!
• Read with them and listen to their reading.
• Spend some time exploring the Internet with them and not just as part of school activities, show them how to use the Internet as a tool.
• Try to limit TV and video games to 60-90 minutes per day
  

Adolescents (aged 13+)

• Shared mealtimes – at least 6 meals per week together (with at least one parent, preferably two if there are two at home).
• Lots of interaction – make time to talk and be deliberate about it if they are reluctant. Make the effort, many teenagers find it easy to withdraw from adults, don’t let them!
• Planned activities – still try to do things together; find common interests, watch some TV together, play some sport or follow their sport, engage yourself in at least one of their interests.
• Talk about their schoolwork and have active involvement.
• Encourage and demonstrate wise use of media – don’t give them a TV for their room; avoid providing a state-of-the-art sound system in their room; don’t have a computer in their room have one that they use in a more public space.
• Open your house to their friends and get to know them as well; make your home welcoming to their friends with you as part of it.
• Try to discourage large blocks of individual time on computers, playing video games, TV and Internet surfing (2-3 hours a day is more than enough).
  

Conclusion

While there are wonderful benefits from new media (I'm enjoying one right now!), research is showing us that over-use can be harmful for children. There is a real danger that as parents lives become more busy and complicated that we will allow new media to fill spaces that previously would have been filled by family interaction. We should not allow this to happen if we value the wellbeing of our children and the quality of the relationship that we have with them.

Other posts

Washington Post article, “Media Bombardment Is Linked To Ill Effects During Childhood” here

Media Awareness Network article, “Television’s Impact on Kids” here

“TV Numbs the brain” here

My posts previous posts that address the impact of TV here