The Power of Stories: How the Tales We Tell Shape Our Children's Beliefs and Character

For as long as I could remember, bedtime meant battles. My son fought sleep, stayed full of energy, and woke up hours later in our room.

Then one night, I stopped lecturing and started telling him a story that I made up, about Ember the Dragon. Everything changed. He slept through the night, and I realized: stories don't just help kids sleep, they shape who they become.

THE INSIGHT

When we first became parents, like basically everyone, we weren't sure what to expect. 

At first, our job was simple: keep our son alive. That was it.

Then, as time went on (and luckily we were keeping him alive), we realized something. Everything we did, every action we took, every word we said... he was watching. Learning. Copying.

I'm sure we’re not the only parents to notice this.

So what did I do?

Well, of course, I wanted to be the perfect role model. The fittest, healthiest and most disciplined dad who never yelled or got mad.

But we're not perfect. No one is.

So how do you teach your child to be the person you want them to be? What causes someone to grow up well-mannered, with strong character and good values? Someone with a healthy outlook of themselves and the world around them?

After I realized I had no idea and that I wasn't perfect (in fact far from it), I set off on a journey of self-discovery and self-development.

That landed me in NLP and Hypnosis training.

If you're unfamiliar: NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) is all about modeling excellence, and Hypnosis, though it sounds scary, is about speaking to the unconscious mind through stories and metaphors.

Over those years of training, I came to see how language could reshape the unconscious mind. How a single story could reframe a person's reality.

Because beliefs are nothing more than the stories we tell ourselves.

These beliefs are usually formed early in life, and we carry them into adulthood. Most people don't realize what beliefs they actually hold, or how much those beliefs impact their day-to-day lives, their success, or the entire course of their future.

So, somewhere between bedtime battles and morning chaos, I started thinking: What if I could use stories to create calmness at bedtime AND help shape the character and values I wanted to instill in my son?

Because if he wasn't going to be shaped by me or his mother... who would shape him?

So, I ran an experiment.

One night, I went through our typical bedtime routine. But this time, I told him a few stories while he was falling asleep.

What happened?

Not only did he fall asleep faster than ever before, he also began asking for more stories. Then, without prompting, he'd connect those stories to his real life with comments during the day like: "Dad, that's just like [insert character]" and I’d say “That’s right” with a big smile on my face.

We were forming a deeper connection. And he was connecting the stories to himself—to who he was becoming.

And here's the kicker: Up until that point, bedtime was always "Mommy time." He only wanted Mom to put him to bed. But after I started telling stories? Suddenly it was "I want Daddy!"

I was more than happy to accommodate... most nights. (Hey, everyone needs a break sometimes.)

Now, we take turns putting him to sleep, and stories are always on the menu.

Little by little, I started to see how these stories weren't just taming bedtime. They were shaping the world around him.

And more importantly, within him.

That changed everything.

And that's what I want to share with you every week: how we can use stories (metaphors), language, visualization tools, and practical tips to build character and raise strong, resilient children.

And maybe become more aligned with who we want to be as parents in the process.

PARENT SKILL

What it is: A simple story structure you can tell in under 3 minutes that teaches values without lectures.

Why it works: Kids ages 0-7 are in a highly suggestible state where their "critical faculty" (the mental filter that resists new information) isn't fully formed. Stories bypass logic and plant lessons directly into their subconscious, they don't just hear the story, they become it.

Try this:

Pro tip: You don't need to be a master storyteller. Even a 60-second story, told slowly with emotion, creates a deep imprint, especially when followed by calm silence before sleep. Keep it simple: one character, one obstacle, one resolution.

PICKS

CHALLENGE

Tell a 60-second metaphor story tonight using any small animal, and notice how your child’s body softens as the story lands.