Reading your child a bedtime story has benefits that include: improved logic and problem-solving skills, language mastery, and also stimulates and develops the imagination.
But many parents are concerned about reading their children fairy tales, citing that they are violent and the lessons are questionable. Concerns over the use of magic and far-fetched characters and settings were also raised. Though these are some valid views, I am of a different opinion.
I take the Einstein view, “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales” – advice he had given a mother who wanted to know how to raise a scientist.
Yes, there is certainly an element of violence, which I believe is not a terrible thing, as our children need to know that we do not live in a perfect world. Children learn that violence is part and parcel of our world and they learn that it is possible to deal with these tough situations. Fairy tales have the contrast of good and evil, where good overcomes evil and evil is punished.
The unreal settings and characters aside, the dilemma faced by the hero/heroine is often addressing tangible situations and the lessons told in this exaggerated manner do hit home.
The structure of the story – from struggles to happy endings encourages hope – indicates there is always hope, and hard work and perseverance is rewarded which will encourage determination and responsibility in completing a task.
The modern versions written by geniuses like Roald Dahl and JRR Tolkien builds character and teaches that our true nature is often revealed in new or tough situations. Critical thinking skills are developed as the child sees the consequences of a character’s decisions.
Given these story-line and structural components unique to the fairy tale genre, it makes sense to choose a fairy tale not only as a bedtime read but as a lesson in life.
