We can help children understand the human condition; the part that struggles to solve problems, overcome obstacles, and navigate adversity.

This week I’d like to share about helping children to understand the nature of struggle. This is an unspoken part of storytelling. Stories afford us solid life lessons woven into their narrative.

In stories, most characters experience struggles they surmount and resolve. It is helpful to point these out and make them personal.

Either at the end or during the story, ask them questions like the following.

What do you think they felt at first?

How do you imagine they feel now?

How did they change from the beginning of the story?

How did they work through their challenges?

Would you have done something differently?

Might something else have worked?

These are simple ways to open a conversation about how people work through their own disturbances. Be sure to note the approach they used, the effort it took, and the reward delivered.