Bedtime story
 | This article needs attention from an expert in Sociology or Anthropology. The specific problem is: the article discusses bedtime stories only in the context of contemporary Western culture. See the talk page for details. (January 2018) |
A bedtime story is a traditional form of storytelling, where a story is told to a child at bedtime to prepare the child for sleep. The bedtime story has long been considered "a definite institution in many families".[1]
Reading bedtime stories yields multiple benefits for parents and children alike. The fixed routine of a bedtime story before sleeping can improve the child's brain development, language mastery, and logical thinking skills.[2] The storyteller-listener relationship creates an emotional bond between the parent and the child.[2] Due to "the strength of the imitative instinct" of a child, the parent and the stories that they tell act as a model for the child to follow.[1]
Bedtime stories are also useful for teaching the child abstract virtues such as sympathy, unselfishness, and self-control, as most children are said to be "naturally sympathetic when they have experienced or can imagine the feelings of others".[1] Thus, bedtime stories can be used to discuss darker subjects such as death and racism.[2] As the bedtime stories broaden in theme, the child "will broaden in their conception of the lives and feelings of others".[1]
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