The Power of Picture Books Stories

Hey listeners, this is Dory Durbin and today I'm talking about why stories last a lifetime, how we can help parents and families through children's books. You know, one of the wonderful things about that's good parenting is that we give you simple steps to reduce parenting stress. And today, , we're gonna talk about something that's really close to my heart, and that is the power of children's picture books.

Here's the thing, advice fades, but stories last a lifetime. We can tell our kids, don't be afraid, be kind, or just try it again a hundred times. But it's the stories we share that stick with them, shape them, and connect them to us.

We live in a world today that's so screen focused. It's where kids are often playing independently. Headphones in eyes on a tablet. And while the independent play has its place, what's being lost is connection. The heart to heart time that [00:01:00] children need with each other and with their parents. Connection isn't just nice to have.

It's essential. Kids need it for emotional development, for social development, relational development even. It's how they learn to feel safe in the world and how they practice being a part of relationships that should last for a lifetime. One of the simplest, most powerful ways we can create connection.

Well, let me tell you what it is. Take a guess. It's children's picture books. If you think about it, when you sit down with your child and open a book, you're creating a little safe world together. They're snuggled in tight. They know they're safe, and because of that safety, they can explore the things, the emotions, the thoughts.

That they might not talk about otherwise.

Children's books give kids characters. They can relate to a character who's afraid of the dark, a character who feels like they're not enough, a character who's nervous in groups [00:02:00] or joyful in activity, or scared of spiders even. And here's the magic, when kids see a character struggle, and then they see them work through the problem and find a solution.

The kid is actually seeing themselves too, but with the added gift of a solution and of hope, they get to live out what it might be like to face their own fears through the safety of the story. Children's books are mirrors and windows. They're mirrors helping kids see themselves reflected and their windows, helping kids see other ways to think, feel, and solve the problem.

And parents. This is where you come in. Reading a book with your child isn't just about reading the words on the page. It's about engaging with them.

While you read, you could pause and ask,

how do you think this character feels right now? Has anything like this ever happened to you? What else could that character have done? And sometimes you don't even need the words. You can just let your child read the pictures [00:03:00] to you. Even a child who can't read yet can tell you what's happening in the illustrations.

And when they do, you are getting a window into their inner world. What they fear, what excites them, what they're working through this turns story time into connection time, and honestly, sometimes it turns into healing time too.

Here's the part that I love the most. Children's books aren't just for kids, they're for parents too. Sometimes as adults, we need those special reminders, those fresh perspectives. We might pick up a new way of thinking about emotions or see a simple problem solving model in a story that applies to our own life.

And sometimes we're reminded that connection doesn't need to be complicated, it just needs to be intentional.

This is why I love the work that I do. My mission is to help parents and kids connect more intentionally through children's books, and also to help experts turn their wisdom into [00:04:00] stories that are engaging fun and last generations, because advice fades, but stories, stories last a lifetime.

So here's my invitation to you this week. Pull \ a children's book from the shelf. Read it with your child. Ask the questions and let them read the pictures.

See what you discover about them and about yourself. And if you're a professional, a Ted Talk speaker, a coach, a therapist, and you've got wisdom that we could turn into a children's book, I invite you to talk to me and share your ideas because you have a story that could last forever.

Oh, and parents. If you know an expert who maybe is a dentist, a pharmacist, a plumber, and they have information that kids should know about and should have their own children's book, nominate them here. Just DM me back and let me know who you think should have their own kids' book as well.

Alright, that's it for today on, that's good parenting. Thank you. And let's [00:05:00] talk soon. \