YouAsk Kim
Four friends of different ages walking arm in arm along a stone street at dusk, one carrying flowers

Together · 10 min

Stories from when you were small

Share a story from your own childhood, or ask a grandparent for one, so children know where they come from.

10 minutesFrom the library, free to readFour steps
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Children are often fascinated by the idea that their parents and grandparents were once small. Family stories, the funny, the ordinary, the times things went wrong, give children a sense of belonging and a longer story they are part of.

The steps

Four small steps,in your own time.

  1. Think of one small story from your childhood: a pet, a school day, a time you got lost, a favourite meal.

  2. Tell it at a quiet moment, at dinner, on a walk or at bedtime. Keep it short and let them ask questions.

  3. Invite a grandparent, aunt, uncle or old family friend to tell one too, in person or on a call.

  4. Write a line about each story in a notebook, so the family has a collection to look back on.

The reason

Why it helps

Knowing family stories can give children a sense of where they fit and that their family has come through hard times before. Hearing that parents also made mistakes and felt scared can be reassuring. For older relatives, being asked to tell their stories can be a real gift.

A gentle variation

If family history is painful or unknown, stories about friends, neighbours or the place you grew up work just as well. If an older relative has memory problems, old photos can help bring stories back, and the stories from long ago are often the clearest.

One hand resting over another on a wooden table

WE · TRIBE

Try itwith someone.

Ask a grandparent or older relative to tell your children one story from when they were the same age, and help the children think of a question to ask.

Make it a plan in HIVELIVE, with WE

Try it today

This week, tell your child one short story from when you were their age.

Add it to your day

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