Storytelling; The Living Heritage of Motherhood
Service for Children and Adolescents of Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) – Sayeh Barin: Storytelling is a powerful tool for raising children. Many lessons are passed on to children through stories and tales, and in this, the role of parents is very prominent; because children hear their first stories from their father and mother. In this regard, mothers, due to the more complex connection and extraordinary empathy they have with their children, if equipped with the knowledge of storytelling, can have exceptionally profound effects on their children’s future. IBNA, on the occasion of celebrating the status of women and mothers, examined the impact of storytelling and reading by mothers on child rearing in an interview with Mehrangiz Akhavi, a senior expert in educational psychology, and Elham Darabi, a storyteller, which we read together.
Interactive storytelling, a powerful educational tool
Mehrangiz Akhavi, a senior expert in educational psychology, emphasized the acquired nature of parenting skills: “No one is born with good parenting skills. Being a good parent is a growth process, not an innate ability. This is a very important point.”
She added: “A mother who asks herself how she can be better for her child is on the right track. Being a good parent is learnable and not hereditary. Even a mother who did not have a good role model can become a good mother by learning.”
Akhavi listed the key factors for this transformation: recognizing one’s own emotions, learning parenting and life skills, searching for building a new relationship with the child, and creating new patterns. “These are the same concepts that are called ‘acquired secure attachment’ in psychology. This means that a person who did not have a secure childhood can become a better parent in adulthood with awareness.”
She then addressed the unparalleled role of storytelling: “Stories are very important, determining, and powerful tools. Because they pose no threat to children, provided they are chosen correctly. Storytelling is a win-win game situation.”
This expert explained: “No tool is as effective as storytelling in educating and intellectually developing children. A story introduces the child to a symbolic world. What is important in early childhood, childhood, and even adulthood, is playing. Stories place children in an indirect playground where they consider themselves part of it and empathize.”
Akhavi added: “Storytelling acts like psychological approaches. For example, it helps children face their challenges and emotions in a safe world. Storytelling by parents is a type of decoding and paving the intellectual path for children.”
She further pointed to the difference between simple observation and practical experience: “Observation is not enough. A child receives valuable non-verbal messages by seeing a reading mother, and a culture of reading is established. However, acquiring skills requires complementary methods.”
Akhavi suggested interactive reading methods: “Interactive reading, such as the child continuing the sentence, asking questions about characters’ feelings or predicting the story, or shared reading, where everyone reads their own book. Even a kitchen ladle can become a storytelling tool.”
Referring to types of stories, she said: “We face national, local, global, modern, and folklore stories. National stories like Shahnameh strengthen the sense of belonging and cultural identity. But in confronting stories from other cultures, the conscious entry of parents is vital.”
This educational psychologist warned: “Children alone do not have the ability to analyze the hidden messages of stories. When they encounter another culture, for example in a global animation, the definition of beauty, hero, or gender roles can be different. This is where the parent must act like a footnote and guide the child’s understanding with explanations.”
Akhavi concluded by discussing two main styles of storytelling: “Passive storytelling, where the child is merely a listener, and their vocabulary and attention are strengthened. In contrast, interactive storytelling, where the child participates, gives opinions, and predicts the continuation of the story.”
She concluded: “In interactive storytelling, language development is stronger, attention and concentration are greatly enhanced, and cognitive skills such as causal reasoning, comparison, analysis, and conclusion-making strongly develop. The more we move towards interaction, the more effectiveness there is. But even passive storytelling is a valuable asset in today’s world. Everything depends on the mood and the relationship created.”
A powerful and accessible educational tool for children from the perspective of a storyteller
Elham Darabi, a storyteller, emphasized the vital role of storytelling and reading as a simple, accessible, and exciting educational tool, saying: “A mother equipped with this knowledge has simple and effective strategies for education at her disposal.”
She added: “A mother who loves books and stories easily knows how to deal with her child’s behavioral problems through stories and indirect education. She has the right tool in hand.”
Darabi provided a real-world example: “I knew a mother whose child had difficulty controlling anger. I introduced her to the story ‘Khashme Qolombeh’ (‘The Ball of Anger’) and emphasized repeating it in different situations. After a while, the mother said her child learned that if he let his anger out, he would destroy everything. Now he says: ‘I swallow my anger and only get angry sometimes.'”
This storyteller stated the necessity of updating mothers’ knowledge: “The food preference of today’s children has changed, and instead of Ghormeh Sabzi (a traditional Persian stew), they like fast food. Their cultural taste has also changed. So, stories, as part of our culture, must also be updated to influence today’s children.”
She continued: “Stories are alive, and that’s why they remain eternal. Years ago, grandmothers told ‘Buz Buz Qandi’ (a traditional story similar to ‘The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids’), and today we tell it to our children. But it must be accompanied by changes and adaptations.”
Darabi considered the purpose of stories beyond entertainment, saying: “No story is without purpose. The wisdom of a story has an indirect effect and introduces children to a new world. Mothers can use this tool to strengthen their children’s emotional intelligence.”
She added: “Perhaps a mother is not used to storytelling, but today tools like podcasts are accessible. In today’s digital world, storytelling has its place, but one must know today’s audience and their desires.”
This child expert emphasized: “Old stories like ‘Seven Thieves and Seven Brothers’ must be adapted for today’s children by refining and making them more logical. Working with awareness has a better impact.”
She emphasized the importance of updated storytelling techniques, such as using body language and rhetoric, and said: “This strengthens the emotional connection between mother and child and shortens the generation gap. Even when grandparents tell stories, this gap lessens.”
Darabi called storytelling a low-cost and accessible educational tool and said: “This art can be taught. All mothers have the innate ability to tell stories, but it is good to learn ‘how to tell a story’.”
She introduced several practical stories: “‘Khashme Qolombeh’ teaches children anger management. ‘Say No to the Pigeon’ teaches the art of saying ‘no,’ which prevents many social harms.”
She concluded by referring to the ‘Namdaran’ book series: “The story of ordinary people who have achieved success gives children confidence and the belief that they too can build a better future.”
Elham Darabi wished: “I wish no child goes to sleep without a story, and no mother puts her child to sleep without a story. Today’s world no longer only needs specialists but needs kind people. Telling and hearing stories educates us to be kinder. The world needs kindness for survival.”
