November is Family Stories Month

The art of family storytelling has fallen by the wayside in an age of video games, TiVo and instant gratification. A once exciting activity that made every person a storyteller, every memory fodder for entertainment and enthrallment is now a distant memory—if even that!—for most people. Today we get our stories mostly from our cell phones or television—or, if we’re lucky enough, a book or two.

November is a perfect month to rekindle the love of the family story. Why not spend the extra hour we receive telling stories? It’ll be dark, cold; perfect for cuddling up on the sofa under a blanket with some hot chocolate and stories. If it’s still warm enough, you could even do it outside around a bonfire while roasting your dinner or some treats. Start a family story night during which everyone shares a story for that evening’s entertainment, rather than watching a movie or playing video games.

Many people might think that they simply can’t tell stories, but that’s not true. Back in the day, everyone could tell a story—from the eldest grandfather to the village idiot! And how many times have you told your little ones stories at bedtime? Even if you’ve never made one up and have relied mainly on books you’ve still had practice telling stories aloud. If it makes you more comfortable, try jotting your story down—or simply writing some notes on an index card—before telling it.

Not sure how to start? Here are some topics to get you going…

Childhood: Kids love hearing about how it was like “when Mommy and Daddy were little like me.” Talk about your favorite toys as a child, what you did with your friends and family, or the trips you took. Older kids might like to hear about roller skating, how special it was to go to the movies, or even gas prices.

Elders: My favorite stories growing up were the ones about my grandparents and other older relatives. I couldn’t believe that they didn’t have bathrooms in their homes or television! Ask your children what life would be like growing up in times like that.

Pets: Who doesn’t love a good pet story? Whether your dog ate your cell phone in college, you came home to a trashed house after adopting a new ferret or your cat pressed buttons on your answering machine to delete the messages, you’ve probably got a good story to share.

Your Day: This one will probably the best one to do with younger kids. That way they can share what’s on their minds that day without having to strain to remember anything too far back. You could use a theme—such as favorite and least favorite, or “high” and “low” points of the day—or ask about moments of kindness, beauty, sharing, or anything you’re working on as a family.

Before long you won’t need any topic ideas; you’ll have more stories than you’d ever think you’d have. In fact, you may want to keep a small notebook with you to note any ideas that come to you throughout the day.