Celebrating World Storytelling Day

Dubai: Where have the mama and papa bears gone - the ones who read stories to their little ones at night, so that children can curl into their favourite blankets and enter a world of imagination?

Celebrated today, World Storytelling Day is an attempt to reignite the passion for narratives.

The idea originated in Sweden, where it is known as "Alla Berathares Dag" (all storytellers day).

Margaret Mathias, a Gulf News reader and stay-at-home mother, feels "globalisation has taken a toll on parenting".

"Previously, parents used to sit down with children and read stories aloud to them, which helped build their imagination. But nowadays, neither parent has the time and the children are not inquisitive.

Facebook, the most popular social networking site, has started a group called "world storytelling day" so that people can share their experiences.

On learning about this, Nikita Modha, a young Gulf News reader, said: "I am very happy about this online publicity, as it makes it easier for people my age to participate in whatever little way we can and increase awareness [of World Storytelling Day]."

Timeless favourites The all-time top 10 children's bedtime stories are:

1) Little Red Riding Hood - Grimm's Fairy Tales
2) Three Little Pigs - James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps
3) Pinocchio - Carlo Collodi
4) Jack and the Beanstalk - Unknown origin (British /German) 5) Cinderella - Brothers Grimm
6) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Brothers Grimm
7) The Hare and the Tortoise - Aesop's Fables
8) The Ant and the Grasshopper - Aesop's Fables
9) The Ugly Duckling - Hans Christian Andersen
10) The Boy Who Cried Wolf - Aesop's Fables Information courtesy of Crunkish.com

Which is your favourite story of all time? Why?

Indeed story telling has lost its charm with modern technological games and busy parent schedules, but parents should now take charge and get this beautiful moment of memory back into action.
Sadaf Afzal
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 20, 2009, 15:38

It is a very nice thing that young editors are coming forward with these kind of thoughts, I really went into my past with those sweet memories coming live again. Today I'm definitely going to read out at least one story to my children.
Ketan
Thane,India
Posted: March 20, 2009, 11:50

I am surprised to hear that parents have stopped reading stories to their kids. I have two kids aged 11 and 6, and I not only read out stories from books but also tell them fascinating stories I had heard from my mother when I was a child. My mother had a collection of very interesting tales she used to relate. Some of them were my favourite and I used to pester her to repeat those stories again and again. Now I relate those same stories to my kids and they simply love it. Story telling is an art and not everyone can do it. But I feel parents must at least read out bed time stories to their kids. It will improve the imagination of kids and help them in sleeping cozily with a smile on their face. However much we progress in the world, some things must never change. Telling bed-time stories to kids has been going on for generations now. Why put a stop to it in the name of globalization, progress or lack of time?
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 20, 2009, 08:01

As a storyteller I have many stories that are favourites but the first story I remember is Henny Penny, a story my grandmother read to me when I was still sitting on her lap. I agree with the author- the mama and papa story connection is very important.
Ellouise Schoettler
Chevy Chase,US
Posted: March 20, 2009, 03:58

Bluebeared Man. Probably, because the inner beauty makes all the difference.
Jolanta
Klaipeda,Lithuania
Posted: March 20, 2009, 01:42