Kinder asked for a "story from inside your head" tonight, so I obliged. I tried something I read about in Nancy Mellon's book, "Storytelling with Children". I renamed Pre and Kinder and called the two brothers/main characters August and Diego, their middle names. Basically, I told them the story of their day today.
Kinder was very resistant to "Diego". He's used to stories about Pre and Kinder the brave knights and Pre and Kinder the kids with the rocket ship parked in their garage which takes their invited guests out into space. New and different things are hard for him to adjust quickly to. He does not easily "go with it". I gently stood my ground and simply told him I wouldn't change the name, but would stop telling the story, if he wanted me to. He didn't.
It was just as rewarding as the book suggested. They were engrossed and filled in some details here and made a couple of corrections there. But, for the most part, they were quietly alert---not a state that I often get to experience with them these days. It really had a different quality compared to reading them a book. I felt very much like I was giving something of myself and they were receiving it without interference.
I'm looking forward to more to come.
1 comment:
N loves when J tells him a made-up story about "Farmer N" or somesuch. She's really good at making them up on the fly too.
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