Family stories

I was recently alerted to an interesting article from the New York Times, The Stories that Bind Us. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/the-family-stories-that-bind-us-this-life.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1

Bruce Feiler reports on the importance of a strong family narrative for the mental health of our children. New research suggests that children who know a lot about their families tend to do better when faced with challenges. ‘The more children knew about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem and the more successfully they believed their families functioned’. The knowledge of family stories, particularly family members overcoming adversity, gave children a strong sense of themselves and family support which had a positive effect on their emotional health and happiness. So don’t keep those family stories to yourself, make sure you share them with all members of the family.