What if...they don't get the story?

I was observing a teacher a few years ago and she was doing a wonderful lesson on fables.  She was reading The Ant and the Grasshopper.  When she asked her 5-6 year olds about the moral, the lesson, their answer was priceless.  The children felt the ant was wrong to not share his food with the grasshopper!  The actual moral is to be ready, prepare for the future which the grasshopper obviously didn't do.  If you aren't prepared then you suffer the consequences.  When the teacher questioned them more, they responded that friends share. Pure and simple. The ant should have shared the food he gathered with his friend, the grasshopper, because his friend was busy playing.

Another teacher was working with 1st graders reading The Three Bears.  When the children were asked who was the character in the wrong, they unanimously responded with the bears!  What?   She had to spend 10-15 minutes guiding the conversation before they realized Goldilocks was at fault We don't go into the homes of people we don't know.  Some people call that breaking and entering! But in their young minds bears are scary and mean.

Zoey, my 4 year old grand daughter loves Frozen. Does she understand the deep meaning and how as adults we are thrilled that a princess didn't need a prince to save her? No, she doesn't but she loves the story and in time as she grows older and revisits Frozen she will get it. Through simple discussion her mom can lead her to understand a little deeper.

In all these situations, besides being funny, we realize children only have their background knowledge on which to rely. The deeper understanding comes a little later. In fact, Seeta Pai, vice president of research at Common Sense Media, an organization that rates and reviews all kinds of children's media, says that because of the logical and cognitive skills needed children might not be able to fully understand deeper meanings until about age 9.


Does this mean we don't read fables to children?  Do we stick with simplistic stories that do not require deep thinking?  No.  It is still important to expose children to fables and legends and all the other genres.  They may not get the symbolism of a poem, but they will hear the lilt and rhythm of the words.  They will understand stories at their level of understanding.  Through you talking with them, they may get a little deeper understanding.

Don't give up if your child misses the point.  At least you are exposing them to good stories!