How Bedtime Stories Can Benefit Or Harm Child Development

For generations, parents have known thatsuggestible.
bedtime stories help kids relax and fall asleepWhat makes this even more important is that
more easily. They can also help develop readingbedtime stories are the last thing your child will
skills and emotional child development, but youhear before falling asleep and will play in the
may not be aware that they also act as a formsubconscious part of their mind all night.
of hypnosis. In which case the content of someDuring the golden age of child development,
of the stories we share with our children maywhere they unquestionably believes in magic,
need to be re-examined.Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy, you have
Research around brain waves has revealed thata golden opportunity to program them for
there are 4 main wavelengths or types ofmaximum success. Or, on the contrary, careless,
brainwaves, divided into predominant speednegative words and influences can become
ranges or patterns (cycles per second or hertzharmful hypnotic suggestions that form powerful
(Hz)): Delta, Theta, Alpha and Beta. Delta beingobstacles to the developing personality. Even after
the longest and slowest brainwave at 0.5 - 4 Hz,children begin to reach the age of reason they
while Beta brainwaves are much shorter andgenerally go in and out of hypnosis fairly regularly,
faster at 13 - 30 Hz.using their imaginations to amuse themselves and
As adults we spend most of our waking,spending a lot of time "in their own little worlds."
consciousness in the alert Beta state. When we"Perhaps, the best way to understand the
are dreaming, in deep hypnosis, meditating, or "inimportance of bedtime stories is to look back and
the zone" such as occasionally occurs in sports orrecall some of your own favourite stories from
music, we enter the Theta state. This alsochildhood,"says Sandra Dye, Psychotherapist and
happens as we are drifting into sleep and just asChild Expert, Developer of the: 5-Step Parenting
we are waking up.System - Stay Connected To Have Influence.
Personal development experts tell us that these"As an adult, you may even notice that some of
are the most effective times to repeatthe messages in your favourite stories have
affirmations, use visualisation or review our goals.played out in your life in some instrumental way."
Because we are in the Theta state, the positiveWhat becomes clear therefore is the need to be
messages get past the filters of the consciousvery aware of the suggestions we are giving our
mind and can plant helpful suggestions directly intochildren that will have an effect on their adult life.
the subconscious.Are you for example through bedtime stories,
When a child is between the ages of 2 and 6,suggesting to your children that the world is full of
their brainwaves are predominantly in the Thetaopportunity or a scary place?
state, which helps explains their rich imaginationThe Financial Fairy Tales series of books for
and creativity at this stage of child development.example have been written to help empower
From six to twelve years of age, children'schildren through the discovery of positive values
brainwaves accelerate to the Alpha state.and life affirming messages around money and
As adults the Alpha state occurs when webusiness.
meditate, daydream or enter the lighter states ofConsider carefully the positive beliefs and values
hypnosis or highway hypnosis as you may havethat you would wish your children to grow up
experienced when you drift off when driving awith. Whether developing their self image,
familiar route.confidence or their understanding about what is
Children between 2 and 12 therefore, are typicallypossible or beyond their reach. Positive,
in the same brainwave states as adults are whenempowering messages will create positive,
in hypnosis, meditation or day dreaming. Which areempowering beliefs.
precisely the states where we become most