Last week, I spoke of my morning ritual. Tonight, I'd like to chat about our "good nights." But unlike mornings, this isn't in terms of Ayurveda or products... because frankly, our nightly routine consists of wine, bath time and ultimately, happily sleeping babes.
From the time I weaned my children (17 and 26 mos. respectively), we swapped out breastfeeding with books and song. I have a feeling we might have done things differently (ie. wrong) because I've watched friends and family alike have the simplest bedtime routine; bath, kiss and lights out. But for years, both my husband and I have read a few books (or one long chapter now) and then sung a handful of songs before our children have fallen into slumber.
As time went by, the kids started requesting made up stories. Now, my husband is a genius storyteller. I mean, he's really goooood! (I've heard a few while we've all been stuck in a hotel room and I'm like "Damn, that is impressive. Where's he pulling that out of?") He's just got a gift that I do not have at the end of the day. Because as creative as I think I am, by nighttime, the last thing I feel like doing is making up a story. I just want them to go to bed already! (Don't judge. I'm with them all day, everyday. I need a break, sometime. Right?)
Anyway, my husband was coming up with these terrific stories. So good in fact that my children would say, "Mom... you're better at singing but Dad, DAD is best at telling stories. Can you just sing and let him tell us the stories?" Well, that would be fine and dandy, but my husband's work schedule is all over the place and naturally, that meant I'd be stuck with children wanting Dad's great storytelling and Dad's "this and that" because they've been with me all day and we're all mutually sick of each other.
So, I came up with a plan.
First, it started out with me in a moment of despair, not knowing what to make up: "Give me a person, a place and a thing." And then I'd come up with a story with whatever they threw at me. But as time passed, it's now called, "You tell me a story." I'm going to give YOU a person, a place and a thing. And boy was it even more genius than what Daddy thought of. :) Racking a 5 and 7 year old brain at 7pm is nothing compared to a 37 year old brain!
Tonight was: Randy, Saskatchewan and a box. And you know what? They always come up with the best stories ever even if they have no idea what the fuck Saskatchewan is!
I might not be the storyteller of the family, but boy do I know how to think out of the box.
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7 comments:
GENIUS. Pure genius =). (I've had those moments too, where I'm utterly impressed- wondering, Where did he come up with that???)
I am not a great storyteller either, so my favorite way of "telling stories" is to have one start, then the next continue, and so on... so we're all building off of each others story (great for car rides). But I'm trying your idea next!!
Kim, you have to get StoryCubes. It's a fun little game/exercise thing where you roll all these dice and make up a story based on the pictures on the dice. I'll show it to you - fun for car rides ;)
Please immortalize one of your kids or husbands stories - I'm sure they are fun.
oh I LOVE this. Maybe they should do a podcast so we can all fall to sleep with Randy from Saskatchewan :)
that is genius. way to zig when the kids zag.
I love how you turned it around on them and they get to use their creativity. :-)
Erin- Never heard of them but they sound right up my alley! Thank you. :)
Not sure I can remember any of the stories well enough to retell, but I can try to record one on the sly sometime...
I would like to thank you for the efforts you've made in writing this posting. I'm hoping the same very best function from you inside future too.
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