Cords that Bind



Today’s families can find themselves really struggling. Parents are tackling jobs and child rearing while simultaneously balancing budgets and commitments.

Families get pulled in different directions. They face break-ups, letdowns, emotional turbulence, online and offline predators, all while attempting to remain connected to one another. We cling to a future we can’t see.

Children seem particularly vulnerable in this not-so-friendly world. But we all have what we need to help our kids. It’s a strong cord that binds families together—our stories. 

Researchers at Emory University discovered that children who know their own family history were more resilient and have a stronger sense of control in their lives. They also have a higher self-esteem and a better sense of their own identity than children who don't know their family's stories.

So what should they know?

Here are some of the questions:
  • Where did your grandparents grow up?
  • Where did your parents grow up?
  • Where did your mom and dad go to high school?
  • How did your parents meet?
  • What family traditions do you have?
  • Has someone in your family had a bad illness or hardship?




What’s so great about kids knowing their family stories? They see that they belong to something bigger than themselves—they develop a stronger intergenerational self.

Children learn about the tough things their family has faced. They learn that those challenges become chapters in a life story that continues on. Children understand that hardships don’t have to be roadblocks.

Sharing family stories with children can happen on the way to soccer practice, at bedtime, over a meal, or while running an errand. So, what story are you going to share today?

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