They teach us how to make magic out of the smallest thing. It doesn't have to be a huge plot line. Keeping the story simple, letting the listener contribute, and, when your confidence builds, adding some drama to the storytelling are three good guidelines. If the stories are fictional, children like repetition. Roddy Story used to change voices for the three characters, and he gave each a special noise that his little boy would insert whenever that character showed up.
Stories strengthen imagination, they give children hope, a sense of where they've been in the world.
There's no limit to the power of stories. Beth Stein is a mother, wife, and newspaper columnist on parenting and women's issues and is a regular contributor to American Profile. If you like what you see of our magazine, but don't get it supplied with your local newspaper, simply call, write, or e-mail your publisher and suggest they carry us every week. It will make a difference.