Story time! - Becoming a Role Model 💟

Yes, the five tips above are key to effective parenting and the list is endless. We could go on and on as we already know that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to parenting styles.

Of all the beautiful five tips above, my favourite of all will be number 3, "Be your child's good role model." Often, I hear parents complain that their kids do not like reading. Now, what they don't understand is that children learn from their parents. How often do they see you read? Do you have books to read? Do you buy them books or just toys? All these indicators will determine if your child grows up to enjoy reading or not.

One easy way to create a reading culture is through storytelling time with the kids. This strategy has been in existence as far back as many generations before now where children would sit around their grandparents and great-grandparents in the evenings to listen to folktales.

 I wasn't fortunate to have my grandparents around me as a kid but I remember the popular "Tales by Moonlight" TV Storytelling program, nobody ever wanted to miss any of the episodes. My parents ensured we watched because of the many moral lessons learnt from the stories. That's how powerful our African folktales can be.

Let's not kill the vibe or trash the storytelling culture our grandparents left us with cartoons and computer games. These can never replace the benefits of having a story time culture in our homes. It could be done every day or even once a week if you have a really busy schedule, the weekends are usually a great opportunity to hang out with family for very occupied, working-class parents.

I'll like to hear from you as well. Let's share the tips that work for us in our parenting journey and we all might just borrow a leaf from your experience. Thank you...🎉