Curating Children's Character with Classic Literature

How & Why To Develop Children's Character Through Story

Is Character Destiny?

Let me ask it another way.

Does being resilient, self-disciplined, adaptable, and curious shape your future?

When we educate our children, we are teaching them more than just how to read and write. We are instilling in them values and character traits that will shape their whole lives.

• That they love reading (character) is just as important as learning to read (academic).

• That they are kind is just as important as solving math problems.

• That they are resilient is just as important as effective writing.

There are many ways to shape your children’s character. Today, we’ll talk about how to do it through story.

BONUS: A recording of me teaching my 9 & 7 year olds with the beloved classic Rikki Tikki Tavi

3 Classic Collections To Build Character

Humans have been teaching morals through story for thousands of years. These stories have been tested by time and still delight children. The suggestions below represent some of the best in the genre.

If you are interested in how to use these stories to teach LOGIC you might enjoy THIS post.

1. Aesop’s Fables: These Greek stories are at least 2,000 years old. They teach lessons on integrity, wisdom, perseverance, humility, kindness, and reciprocity. Stories you might recognize are The Tortoise and the Hare, The Ant and the Grasshopper, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Lion and the Mouse, and The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing. These are often available for free at the library on online.

2. Beatrix Potter Stories: A British author from the early 20th century, Potter dedicates Johnny Townmouse to Aseop in the Shadows highlighting his influence on her writing. These adorable stories about kittens & field mice teach compassion, courage, resourcefulness, responsibility, respect for nature, honesty, and friendship. Some of her most famous stories include The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, and The Tale of Tom Kitten.

3. Just So Stories - Kipling: Kipling who is commonly recognized for The Jungle Book and Rikki Tikki Tavi, which I’ll discuss in detail below, also wrote a series of stories that teach ingenuity, curiosity, adaptability, respect, cooperation, and responsibility. Most beloved Kipling stories include How the Camel Got his Hump, How the Leopard Got His Spots, and How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin.

Teach YOUR Family’s Values

Every family is unique with different perspectives and values. While most value things like integrity and perseverance, many families have values that are distinct to them. For example my family values include Family First and Ahimsa (Peacefulness & Tolerance).

Steps to bring out your family’s values through story

1. Write Your Family Values Down. Have you intentionally written down your family values? If not, you should. The act of writing your values will bring them to the forefront of your mind. My brother’s family had an artist create a beautiful display of their family values. It sits above their dining table where their kids can read it every day. Before you can impart your unique family values, you must know what they are.

2. Select Suitable Literature: I’ve given you some suggestions above but nearly any story can be used. Some parents prefer to only use stories that only have upstanding values. I actually prefer stories that have nuance or have teaching moments, even if they have situations which are amoral. Though, I always use age-appropriate stories. For example, if characters are being bullies, it’s a teaching moment to talk about how the other characters feel.

3. Read Aloud Together: One of the best things you can do for your kids is read to them - even your teens. Listening to an audio book with them also works but make sure YOU are actively listening too. For months, my girls and I would color every afternoon while listening to audio books. It’s still one of my favorite memories of homeschooling when they were little.

4. Discuss Moral Dilemmas: Use Socratic style questioning to bring out alternative view-points and lead children to discuss your family values. HERE and HERE are a refresher on best practices with Socratic style questioning. Briefly, take the time to talk stories over with your kids. You can ask them “what happened” types of questions but ensure that they aren’t to “test” them to see if they remember the story but rather as part of a discussion about the morality of the story.

I know this may seem daunting so I’ve done 2 things: 1. a recording of myself implementing the style with my 9 and 7 year old kids and 2) given you a script to use with your kids. If you have additional question, please comment, DM via substack.

Example: Teaching Tolerance Through Rikki Tikki Tavi

I want my children to be able to deal with conflict through peaceful resolutions, to be able to see things from unique perspectives, and ultimately help craft a more peaceful world. Thus, I often play both sides in a story. Let’s go through how I used Rikki Tikki Tavi to teach Ahimsa (Peacefulness & Tolerance) to my children. HERE is a free copy of the story so you can do it too.

Audio Discussion with my Children (9 & 7)

Example conversation

When using this remember, it’s always a good to get OFF script. You’ll saw me do this several times in the audio. You might prefer to focus on Rikki’s bravery or loyalty or a unique family value of your own. There are no wrong answers. Just TALK to your kids.

ASK: Why were the snakes upset with Rikki Tikki in the garden? Answer: Because they were scared he was going to hurt them & their children.

ASK: Did they have good reasons to be scared? Yes, because mongooses hunt and eat snakes.

ASK: Nag had eaten one of the songbirds babies which made them sad. Was it wrong for the snake to eat the baby that had fallen from the tree? Disuss that the snakes have to eat something. It’s not fair to characterize them as “evil” for eating. You can point out that most humans eat other animals too. The snakes actually point this out: "You eat eggs. Why should not I eat birds?"

ASK: Did Rikki Tikki try to talk to the snake about it’s concerns or fears? No, instead he tried to fight them. You might also point out that this is appropriate animal behavior and that doesn’t necessarily make Rikki evil either.

ASK: Why did Nag try to kill the humans? Answer: The snakes thought it would drive the mongoose away before their babies were born.

ASK: What happens to all of the snakes? Answer: Rikki ultimately kills Nag and then destroys all the snake eggs.

ASK: Are the snakes really villains here? Answer: Each animal is living how it behaves in nature. Rikki Tikki must eat and want to be safe. Keeping the humans safe helps Rikki Tikki live a better life. The snakes also must eat and want to be safe. They want to kill Rikki to keep their babies safe. This is nature. Depicting one as a “evil” is not necessarily a fair characterization.

Conclusion

Few things are more important than developing your children's character, and there are few better ways to do it than through story.

~Dr. Claire Honeycutt

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