In an ever-interconnected world, some claim that the significance of reading or retelling a wide range of stories cannot fade into obscurity. Others, nevertheless, argue that these activities have become a lost art, with the availability of digital platforms: e-books, TV, and the internet. On a personal note, I believe that parents should strike a balance between the two, which enables them to stay emotionally connected with their children and spark curiosity by doing research online.
The tradition of telling or sharing stories in and of itself enhances a profound connection between parents and children. In essence, when reading stories or traditional books, parents carve out a specific amount of time, whether it is before going to bed or around the table. Such routine deters social isolation or household tensions from straining parent-children relationships, in a landscape contoured by hustle culture or overworking. Since the vast majority of parents are preoccupied with a backlog of tasks, they might neglect the value of shared mealtimes or shared experiences with their children. By recalling stories or sharing insights from their childhood, however, parents can maintain harmonious connections with their children, as was the case in Kazakhstan. This is not to mention generational continuity, an aspect that prevents traditions or cultural identity from vanishing into the ether. Because adults guide children through lessons taught by stories or books, they can pass down pearls of wisdom, which cannot be otherwise found on the internet, to the future generations.
However compelling and practical these approaches may seem, some people are not enamoured with that idea. With the advent of technological devices, including but not limited to online reading platforms, TV, and, most importantly, the internet, traditional storytelling activities fade into the background, potentially stifling children’s creativity and imagination. Given that the very nature of modern occupations takes a toll on parents’ well-being and puts a damper on their ingenuity, they might churn out formulaic storylines and thus make this activity less desirable. Reading books written by a vast array of authors online, children can not only enrich their vocabulary or give breadth to their knowledge, but also form the backbone of imagination and visualisation. TV channels or programs can, for example, help find like-minded people or come into contact with new individuals, provided that young people share their interests with their classmates, teammates, relatives, and acquaintances. In many cases, parents’ level of comprehension of some stories or explanation of fairy tales might pale in comparison to that of the internet, a digital source where inquisitive and curious minds can find answers in a matter of minutes.
From my perspective, though, I firmly believe that neither parental storytelling alone nor digital alternatives in a vacuum can shape a child’s worldview or put life aspects into context the way joint and collective practice would. That is, parents should find a deep middle ground between the two approaches to help children assimilate knowledge practically. While listening to parents’ life observations or stories from the past, children can also utilize search engines to push the boundaries of understanding. By the same token, insights and perspectives attained through reading e-books, watching TV documentaries, and using internet websites can be discussed with relatives or parents. This, in turn, reverses deep divisions within families and lays the groundwork for emotional bonding.
In conclusion, whether or not parents should continue sharing their stories has long been a matter of debate, with some claiming that technological breakthroughs hollow out and replace this deep-ingrained tradition. Personally, I lean toward a balanced approach, where parents can contribute by sharing experience with children and technology opens doors for exploring books digitally, watching TV programs, and using the internet.