A Bedtime Story for Children

A bedtime story is a story that is told to the children before they sleep and usually it can be done by parents. Children will  sleep easily when they listen to the story. This is because of their condition that is very relaxed when they are on bed. Many children consider that this can be one of the most eagerly waited, because children like to imagine something based on the story being told when they hear it. However, in this recent era of medernization, many parents often forget about this activity. This thing may happen because they are busy with their own business or careers. Thus, this may make children less imagination. If it is explored further, there are some benefits of a bedtime story for the children. Bedtime story can stimulate children’s imagination and think creatively, build their emotion, teach them the moral value based on the story and the last one is that it can build children’s intelligence on language.

            The first is that a bedtime story can build children’s imagination and think creatively. When the children listen to the story, their imagination is extended with no limits. It means that when they think or imagine the story, their mind is trained to elicit the story is about by thinking its setting, plot, and the actors. However, it does not mean that their imagination has to be the same based on the story, but children may imagine it more creative than the story itself. This imagination will make them as if they were taken a part of the story being told. It is very useful and the impact can be seen after they reach adult ages. For example the writer, Jonathan Swift, who writes Gulliver’s travels. By his great imagination, the story of Gulliver’s Travels becomes famous during his era even until now. Many readers are inspired by this story and it becomes the materpiece over the world. Another example is that when the children get a problem, they will think and try to solve their problem by looking for the way out and the best deed that they have to do. Based on the bedtime story that being told every night, a trouble must be experienced by the actor and they way he solves it. children will act as if they were the actors in that story and this thing will help them try to be more independent in solving the problem. If parents let the children having their imagination freely, of course they will be creative and able to find many kinds of idea. Imagining the thing that never happens, it will become something new and it is possible to be a masterpiece. By having an extended imagination, children can think more creative and make their own world that has not ever been available during their lives.

            The second is that the bedtime story can build children’s emotion. When the children listen to the story, they will learn what the actors are feeling, such as happy, sad, or care. These kinds of expression can lead the children learn how to role in understanding one’s feeling. This feeling of empathy will guide the children when they are in society. The story will inspire them in doing the socialization so that they will be easy in associating themslves. When the children rarely listen to the story and are rarely inspired, they may be little selfish when thay have to share anything that they have to the other friends, or they may not understand other’s feeling when they are sad or something like that. By listening to the story, children will be inspired and have a great empathy to the others, because they feel what the others are feeling.

            The next is that bedtime story can teach them about the moral value based on the story. When the children listen to it, they will know who the antagonist and the protagonist are. It will lead them that the antagonist will never win when they fight against the protagonist. Antagonist will be accursed and defeated by the protagonist one. From the story, children will behave as the protagonist in that story being told. It means that in real world, children will do something good like when they listen to the story. This thing will give them a big chance to be a hero and being liked by the others. For example that story of an arrogant rabbit and a slow turtle. The rabbitis as the antagonist one and the turtle roles as the protagonist. When they both did the competition of marathon, the rabbit was so arrogant that he would win the copmpetition. During the competition, because of the turtle was still left behind, the rabbit decided to take a rest and ate bananas. He ate too much and fell asleep. As the rabbit woke up, the turtle had passed through him, so the tutle won the competition. From the story above, the moral and value that can be gained is that vanity will be defeated by goodness. If the children apply this good story in their real life, it will lead the to the good things in their behaviors.

            The last one is that a bedtime story can build children’s intelligence on language. The children who are listening to the story, automatically they will learn about many kinds of vocabulary. It will increase the children’s linguistic and the way it is used. This vocabulary will train the children in a various condition, such as how to behave with someone who is older than them, how to do conversation politely to the others, etc. This positive impact will be realized after being adults. Their speaking ability will be arranged systematically, logically and in a lure way. Not only orally, but also when they have to pour their thoughts or opinions through the paper, their writing ability will be good that the language is easy to understand. Ir. Seokarno, the first Indonesian President, is used being told a bedtime story by his mother when he was a child. After being a president, his speech has a high linguistic, he can be a great orator and inspire all indonesian people. By doing so, children will have a good ability in linguistic.

            Thus, a bedtime story is very useful for the children that can make them good in discovering something new by imagiation that is unlimited. They also can adapt the environment easily because they have a high empathy and good in controlling their emotion then having a good linguistic to communicate to the others.

                           Haifa wahbe - When The Sun Sets / هيفاء وهبي- لما الشمس تروح

Source:http://seputar-ibu-anak.blogspot.com/2012/12/manfaat-dongeng-sebelum-tidur-untuk-anak.html#axzz2JJupL1A9
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