Childhood Should be Carefree and Happy

Choosing the right books and when to read them can help

I’ve been busy working on a few children's stories so (I hope) they can be published. They’re almost finished. What I’ve been tweaking is actually for the adults who will read the stories to their children.

I remember being bored out of my gourd with some of the stories my girls wanted to hear over and over. For that reason, I’m trying to make my children’s books grownup friendly in case children want any of mine read again and again.

I also make sure they have positive endings. I think that’s important, for two reasons. One, so they can also be read at bedtime and not cause bad dreams. Second, because life already has a way of introducing children to the sad and more frightening elements of life, sometimes at a very early age.

These days, unlike when I was a child, parents have to prepare children and warn them against possible dangers they could face.

• Do not talk to strangers! Strangers could be dangers.

• If someone tries to grab you, run! Even if they have a gun, zigzag run as fast and as far as you can.

• If anyone touches you with a bad touch, tell Mommy, Daddy or a policeman.

• Never accept a ride with anyone who doesn’t know our secret family code words.

We can also add the sounds that go bump in the night that frighten them when they’re in bed and it’s dark and quiet:

• The groans and moans in the floor vents as the furnace kicks on and off.

• A tree branch scraping their bedroom window could be a monster with claws!

• Moonlight shadows dancing on the ceiling can look frightening.

• Daddy’s snoring sounds like a lion or a tiger growling!

• Even a slow drip-drop-drip in the bathroom sink across the hall can be scary to a child in the middle of the night.

Since those can be a source of worry and bad dreams, it’s important that we read happy, calm bedtime stories to them. You know, something they can feel good about, as they drift off to sleep “… while visions of sugarplums dance in their heads.”

I’m all for helping our children live carefree for as long as possible ...

Poet/Writer/Author of 5 books.
Quora Top Writer 2018.
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