Much of the importance of stories is the pedagogical function they have had throughout history. That is why they seem so important to us when it comes to educating our children. All experts recommend reading to the little ones to improve their learning.
However, the message of the stories has changed a lot over the years. The earliest tales were used to transmit wisdom through the generations. Today the knowledge we have is much broader than at that time. Now we also worry about the emotional level of our children, with stories that benefit their development in this sense.
Classic tales and their context in history
We must contextualize these stories very well when transmitting them. Otherwise, we could be teaching our children the wrong message.
It is very likely that you do not know that the classic "Little Red Riding Hood" was a story designed to teach girls that they should not walk alone on the roads. Not because of the danger that the wolf would steal their little basket, if not because of the risk of assault and rape that existed at the time. The wolf was nothing more than a representation of the danger that was on the roads.
Many of the stories that we know today have been sweetened up to the history that we know today. The case of "Sol, Luna y Talía" or "Sleeping Beauty" as we know it today is noteworthy.
The original story tells of a teenage girl raped during her unconscious state, resurrected by her son searching for her breast. The rapist returns to her, being unfaithful to a wife who, upon learning of the story, tries to murder mother and children, in the most macabre way possible. The story ends by saying about Talía "Well, even when she sleeps, her goods rain on her."
At the time it was written, for a man of high rank to set his eyes on you was to have fortune. Your opinion did not matter, so it is important to contextualize the stories. Today, there are different values, and that story that we have always known as a sweet children's story, it seems to us actually twisted and macabre.
New stories
As we have already said, they have different values. Not only have the values changed, the objectives of the pedagogy of stories have also changed a lot. Interest in keeping women in the role of submissive and patient princesses has waned. Now they are brave warriors, nonconformist artists, or women of science. In the new stories, we can find children who have fears and learn to overcome them. They are stories focused on Emotional education.
The stories are now classified by ages and stages of learning. They are used to learn colors, numbers, names of animals etc, in the earliest stages. This is how they begin to develop their imagination and vocabulary. The pedagogical intention of today's stories is more defined.
It must be taken into account that the traditional tales, although they had a pedagogical function, were written to entertain the people and the nobles. So, despite implicit learning, it was not its main function. Now it is more intentional, since the educational techniques and methods are more developed.
What are the best stories to educate children?
The best stories to educate your children are those that convey the message that you want to convey to them. It doesn't matter if they are classic or new, if you sweeten them up or tell them the original story. What is really important is that you make sure they are old enough to understand what you are telling them and that they will understand the message.
For story pedagogy to be effective, your child must learn something from the stories you are offering. They should be pleasant to read or listen to, you will learn more if you have fun with them. The best stories may not be written. It may be that the best stories to educate your children, you have not yet created.