Before We Say “Goodnight”

Before We Say “Goodnight”

“Anyone who thinks the art of conversation is dead, ought to tell a child to go to bed.”
Robert Gallagher

I know you love your kids, but have you considered telling them bedtime stories about your life and family? It’s easy to do and you can captivate your child’s or grandchild’s imagination with a subject they literally cannot get enough of—you.

When I told my brother-in-law Bill that I was writing a book on story-telling, he told me the following story:

“When I was a kid in Pittsburgh, my grandfather would sometimes put us to bed and tell us stories. The lights were always out, and he was usually smoking his pipe. He told us about his life and adventures. In the dark, there was just the sound of his voice and the glow of the pipe, and when he would take a puff, I could see his face.”

I love that story because it’s about Bill’s love for his grandfather and vice versa, and it’s a memory he will always treasure. Bedtime stories are a pathway to a great inheritance—your love for your children and the stories of their family.

In the last twelve years, I have told my three children over seven thousand bedtime stories. I always tell the stories with the lights out, because there are fewer distractions, and the kids keep heading in the direction of sleep. And my memories are easier to access in the dark. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to connect with those you love the most—your kids and grandkids.

For more information, check out my book Before We Say “Goodnight:” How to tell bedtime stories about your life and family.