You probably know that reading to your children has many benefits, including language development, emotional development, and bonding with you.
In addition, the stories you don’t have to read, but can just tell – about yourself, your family history, and your kiddo's earlier years –have some special super powers over and above other stories. The family is the original unit of socialization for children, and we take the patterns of interaction and emotional imprinting from our families with us into the rest of our lives. Family stories are so important because they help your kids feel a part of something and help them understand what their group is all about. Family stories influence a child's basic narrative and sense of identity, and how stories are told in the family also influence kiddos' sense agency and self-esteem.
One seminal study found that kids who know more about their family history displayed a stronger sense of control over their lives, higher self-esteem and believed their families functioned better. In fact, knowing stories about family history turned out the be the single best predictor of children’s emotional health and happiness! Dr. Duke, one of the researchers, attributed this to having a strong “intergenerational self” – when children know they belong to something bigger than themselves.