A Growing Collection of CV-19 Tales From Kids, Parents, and Global Storytellers
Balm for Anxious Hearts
We are posting new stories as they come in. Check back later for more.
As coronavirus spreads and schools close their doors, parents are feeling anxious. Social distancing and empty shelves have us gasping for normalcy. We need skills for handling the disease, but we also need tools for managing the anxiety that treads in its footsteps.
Storytelling is a time-tested way to build safety, intimacy, and creativity in the home, and scientists have collected many of the reasons why.
There is a great article in The Atlantic titled The Psychological Comforts of Storytelling and here at How to Tell Stories to Children we have had a viral response to an article we wrote titled How Storytelling Builds Attachment & The Science Behind It.
In response to the coronavirus outbreak, we are reaching out to storytellers, parents, and children all over the world to collect stories that bring a little healing and levity into our homes. This is an international effort, and many of these stories can already be found in multiple languages and countries around the world.
But here’s the golden key - these stories are really just inspiration for you to tell your own. This is where the healing magic of storytelling resides - in the intimacy of connection.
When a child says, “Tell me a story,” she is not asking for a narrative. She is asking for your attention. When one truly grasps this, the apparent difficulty of telling a story dissolves. We’re no longer looking for a masterpiece, we’re simply looking for a story that builds connection. Simple, authentic stories do it best.
There is incredible science behind all this, but we encourage you to look at the articles we posted above for that. Because now, we’re going on to the stories.
To be clear - these stories are intended to help parents guide young children and ease anxiety in the home after the serious work of preparation has been done. They are not intended to make light of the illness. You have the author’s permission to share these stories, but we believe you will find the greatest comfort by crafting stories of your own with the help of your child.
We want to hear from you!
Coronavirus Stories & Resources for Families
Announcing the 2020 Coronavirus Storytelling Challenge
As politicians and journalists wrestle for control over the story of coronavirus in the media, parents are locked down in a different battle – the story forming in our children’s hearts.
Schools are closing their doors. Parents are feeling anxious. Social distancing and empty shelves have us gasping for normalcy. We need skills for handling the disease, but we also need tools for managing the anxiety that treads in its footsteps.
That’s why we created the 2020 Coronoavirus Storytelling Challenge. As the nation struggles to catch up with the disease, let’s help parents and children connect at home, and turn the stress meter down just a notch.
Whether you are a carpenter, a lawyer, a storyteller, a mother, or a kid stuck at home without much to do - please share your stories with us. Every child or father that shares a story gives courage to the next. The goal is empowerment, not entertainment. Help us.
The Storytelling Loop is a newsletter bringing you tips, science, and real-life examples of how storytelling builds the connection between parent and child. It is a joint project of Silke Rose West and Joseph Sarosy, authors of How to Tell Stories to Children. Originally published in August of 2019, a new edition is due out from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2021. You can find more from Joseph Sarosy at Fatherly. Are you interested in storytelling? Join Us.