Fairy tales can inspire, reassure but can also scare our children.

Some tales are so frightening they can create lasting fears in children. Characters like witches and monsters are the embodiment of evil which must be defeated. However, children at their youngest age do not feel strong enough to deal with these images in their minds. The child’s psyche is very tender and delicate. We have to take great care with what we fill the child’s subconscious.

Inspirational stories are conducive to children’s development. These include Winnie the Pooh, The Lion King, Tarzan, Jungle Book, Little Mermaid, Pippi Longstocking, Tom Sawyer, and others in which the bad characters are paler and less striking compared to the good characters.

Parents’ stories from real life stories are a wonderful influence on children. A creative approach to storytelling is very valuable. We can change and rethink existing tales to make them more accessible and interesting to our children. We can modify narratives by inserting elements related to the child’s interests and eliminating the frightening bits. We can invent a story in which the main character is our child, who copes with every situation and difficulty.

 The stories of Winnie the Pooh were created just like this – by a lovely father who told his beloved little boy, Christopher a bedtime story every night.

 A.A. Milne turned his son’s toys and Christopher into the characters of amusing stories which are remarkable for their wisdom and positivism. Almost a century later, the wisdom of Winnie the Pooh continues to be relevant and teaches our children and ourselves about love, kindness and positive thinking.