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January 1, 2009

Telling a bedtime story



One thing I have always remembered since a child, was my mom holding me in her wicker rocking chair and telling me a bedtime story ...or singing some songs to me. It was a special time that I enjoyed and since have been able to remember many of the stories she would use. Many classic stories have carried on through generations. They are reminiscent of time past, but their themes have stayed with us and will carry on in our lives as we go into our future.




One of Sean's favorite books is called Goodnight Moon. It seems to set a good tone for bedtime. Knowing a little about how children think, I think I understand what makes it so appealing to Sean -- the ritual of saying good night to familiar objects helps reassure him when he stays overnight with us away from mom and dad..., separation from parents can be scary for tiny kids, so we let him sleep with either grandpa, his big brother or me. .
Last night I told Sean the following stories...Tortoise and the Hare ,The Princess and the Pea, Goldilocks and The Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf, and then Cinderella, at which point he fell asleep as grandma told him about the big dance ( the castle ball and prince charming ..not as exciting as the big bad wolf blowing down the pig's house!
I often change events in a story to keep them interesting...like how Peter Rabbit was usually a good little bunny and obeyed him mom and helped her by picking up his toys..LOL....but this one time his was not doing what his mom said and got into big trouble with Mr McGregor! I love to exaggerate the sound effects and events, making them funny and happy times.. not scary ones.
Being a grandmother, makes it even more fun to tell a story to a child... You see their mind open to a new world, as they listen so intently to what you have to say.
Here is a website I came across that would be fun for little ones to interact with. http://www.peterrabbit.com/childrens.asp
drewmark19 said... Here's another great site for animated/audio books: http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/tumblenow.asp?category=PictureBooks

What are your favorite bedtime stories?

7 comments:

  1. Embellishing the classics is good! LOL! Oh, I love Peter Rabbit (no big surprise there)!

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  2. I can't think of a favorite one right now, but I hope some day to have one of my stories published and someone will read them to their children or grandchildren at bedtime.

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  3. You're making some great memories for your grandsons just like Grandma June did with you (and us). Here's another great site for animated/audio books: http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/tumblenow.asp?category=PictureBooks

    Nathan loves this site, and there are quite a few books to choose from.

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  4. love love love Peter Rabbit
    2 other favories of my girls are
    Muncha Muncha Muncha and Tippy Tippy Hide both by Candice Fleming.please visit me at
    purdywallcovering. thanks gina

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  5. My mom read to us from a book called Little Visits with God. I loved it... this post made me think of it. Now I need to start reading from it so my boys can enjoy it. Your blog is a blessing!

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  6. Just to add to this, for some reason, if you go directly to tumblebooks, it shows up as something you have to pay for. If you go through a library site, it's free. So here's a library site. It should get you to free books when you click on the tumblebooks link: http://www.co.napa.ca.us/Library/Site/4/142/378/TumbleBooks.aspx

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  7. Yes Goodnight moon has been read over and over to Charlie and Anna, one of their favorite books too. they both love to read and be read to.

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