Tradition of bedtime story telling on decline

Islamabad: Educationist on Sunday warned parents are not making the time to read to their children at the end of the working day, as long cherished tradition of Bedtime story-telling is waning among modern parents.

Clinical psychologist, Dr Aliya Aftab, lamented the issue, said the culture bedtime story is dying out as modern parents never read their young children a story at night. “In modern age parents are juggling work and home life. Lots of parents are working shifts and there’s a lot of pressure on families,” she added. She further explained that storytelling is an easy way for parents to spend quality time with their children, and the benefits to both parents and kids are countless.

“Psychologists also point to the cognitive benefits for young people who are raised with bedtime stories, including higher-than-average literacy rates and an emotional connection to reading. Bedtime stories have evolved over the years and today, parents across the globe are turning to websites and video channels to find suitable reading material for their children,” she added.

"I really and truly believe that most parents are totally unaware of how important reading or telling a story is, and how it can relax both parties, create emotional bonds, stimulate a child’s development, help children in developing empathy and so much more,” she highlighted.

A child specialist, Rao Maqbool, added, a bedtime story can be so rewarding for young children. “It relaxes them before sleep, boosts their development, stimulates their interest in reading and enhances the parent-child bond,” he added.

He said bedtime storytelling helps facilitate the expansion of a child’s vocabulary, which in turn leads to better and faster reading comprehension, and overall early learning. “Another way it boosts language learning is by improving listening skills. Storytelling is also a way of transmitting cultural values, strengthening parent-child bonds, and, ultimately, enhancing the way a child relates with others,” Dr Aliya Aftab said.

Expert suggested, reading aloud and sharing stories with your child is a great way to spend time together. Reading and storytelling also helps promote language, literacy and brain development. Paediatricians and others have encouraged parents to provide language input through reading, storytelling and simple narration of daily events," experts emphasized.

Parents should make more use of these opportunities, it recommended, whether it is correcting mistakes in their child’s speech or using it as a chance to introduce new words, experts advised. It is not enough to speak to children. Parents should also engage them in conversation," Dr Aliya said. Experts said at bedtime, without any distractions, we have the opportunity to have our children near us.

By sharing our memories and our grandparents’ teachings, wisdom, and humour, we give our children something they won’t find in libraries or on the Internet. “Parents enrol their children in too many after-school activities, depriving them of family time,” said Dr. Aliya. “Routines are very important because it gives a sense of predictability and children crave for that, said psychologist,” she added.

“No matter how hectic parents and children’s schedule are, it is important to establish a basic routine before bedtime. I suggest that parents give children at least one hour to wind down before they go to sleep. Young children tend to enjoy bedtime stories and songs,” she concluded.