Some nights I tell my son a bedtime story. Sometimes I ask him to tell me one instead.
I remember the first time I asked him to tell me a story… I would love to say it was something I had planned… it was not.
I was a bit tired and didn’t feel like I was showing up in the state I normally do.
He didn’t flinch. He told me to lie down. Close my eyes. Take a deep breath in… and let it out. Then roughly a minute-long story I won’t forget.
I didn’t explicitly teach him the relaxation intro (actually a bit of hypnosis induction, though we can talk more about that another time). He just picked it up watching me.
Here’s what I saw in that minute.
What’s Inside
THE INSIGHT: Why telling and being told stories both matter
PARENT SKILL: What your child builds when they take their turn
PICKS: How pretend play builds creativity and storytelling builds leaders
CHALLENGE: Ask tonight. Sit there. Listen.
THE INSIGHT
When your child tells the story
When I tell my son a story, I’m not just installing… I’m also modeling.
He’s watching how a story works. Character, obstacle, transformation, moral.
He’s watching me take it seriously.
He’s watching the rhythm and the shape.
He’s watching the passion I’m bringing to the experience.
That’s how he learns it before he knows there’s anything to learn.
When he tells a story, he’s building a character.
He’s deciding what matters enough to include and what doesn’t make the cut.
He’s picking the moral, even if he wouldn’t call it that.
He’s building a world and painting it for me to envision.
That’s a muscle… the more he uses it, the stronger it gets.
And it matters past bedtime.
Storytellers can influence. Storytellers can impact. Storytellers can lead.
The kid who grows up telling stories grows into the adult who can paint a picture of where they want to go and bring people with them. That’s a muscle worth building early.
I didn’t think about any of this while I was lying there with my eyes closed. I just listened. The thinking came later.
PARENT SKILL
Make space for it
You don’t have to wait for it to happen. Ask.
Tonight after your story, say Your turn. Tell me one. Or before you start: What’s a story you want to tell me tonight?
If they say no, leave it. Ask again next time. It can take a few invitations.
When they say yes, the part that matters is what you don’t do. Don’t direct. Don’t correct. Don’t ask what it means. If the dragon eats the spaghetti and turns into a fish, keep listening.
A few things to notice while they tell it:
The character they pick.
The obstacle, and how big they make it.
Who helps. Who doesn’t.
How it ends, or whether it does.
Notice in the moment. The thinking can wait.
When they finish, thank them. That was a good one. Then leave it alone. They told the story. Let it stand.
Pro tip: If they pause and look at you for a cue, give them the smallest one. "And then what?" That's it. Don't fill the silence.
PICKS
🎧 Listen: 4 Storytelling Mistakes Leaders Make by Coaching for Leaders featuring David Hutchens author of Story Dash - A practical look at how stories can either connect and move people or fall flat, and why learning to tell them well is a real leadership skill
📚 Read: The Benefits of Storytelling and Pretend Play for Kids by KidKraft - How the stories kids spin now become the creative problem-solving and confidence they use later.
❤️ Quote: “Imagination is the fuel of pretend play, and cultivating it benefits our kids throughout their lives.” - KidKraft
CHALLENGE
Tonight, ask. Your turn. Tell me a story.
If they say no, fine. Ask again tomorrow.
If they say yes, lie back. Breathe. Listen. Don’t ask follow-up questions. Don’t solve anything. Don’t draw a lesson. Thank them when they’re done.
Reply and tell me what they told you. I want to hear it.
If you want help inviting your child to tell their stories without it feeling forced, book a free 30-minute Story Strong Session. We’ll work through it together.
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Until next week,
- Steve