Thanks to my son’s special needs, I’ve become a pretty good storyteller.
My creative adventure began with a simple slip of the tongue years ago while reading Eric the familiar words of that storytelling genius, Dr. Suess.
"I do not like green eggs and Spam,” I said, tired after an especially challenging day.
Eric’s reaction was swift and clear. His puzzled grin told me he wasn’t fooled by my words, but he kind of liked my new approach. In that moment, I recalled the reaction of his sister, Jenna, years earlier when I would try to skip words in her favorite bedtime stories, the lengthy and popular Berensten Bears series.
She always caught me.
Eric’s cerebral palsy prevents him from voicing his objections clearly, but his reactions are clear. While he has significant physical challenges, my son misses very little going on in the world around him. Eric loves creative play and humor, thanks in part to our playful time spent storytelling.
"Green Eggs and Spam,” I continued, closely assessing his reaction. What began as a mistake was becoming an important tool in assessing my son’s understanding of language.
I had found a way to relieve the boredom of what had become a predictable bedtime routine, while receiving important validation regarding his cognition and understanding of even the most complicated language. I wasn’t about to stop storytelling now.
Eric smiled a huge grin.
"Green Eggs and Spam,” I repeated. ”I do not like green eggs and Spam. I do not like them, and neither does Ann.”
My son stared at me wide-eyed and then shared a belly laugh that was contagious.I was clearly on to something.
"What’s so funny?” I asked, feigning ignorance of my own silly antics.
Eric smiled, giving me time to figure out my obvious verbal blunders.
"Oh,” I said, pretending to suddenly understand the mistakes so obvious to him. "I meant to say green eggs and ham, not Spam. And it’s Sam, not Ann, isn’t it? What a silly mom I am. Let’s start over.”
I began to read the famed author’s words as written: "I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them Sam I am.”
My son complained loudly, then pouted. Given the late hour, I quickly changed the words again, beginning our introduction to storytelling. Over the past decade, we have progressed from jazzing up the words of Dr. Seuss and other childhood authors, to making up our own exciting adventures.
Along the way, storytelling has helped foster my son’s love of books and creative writing. We’ve worked hard to find ways to make the words and stories become less mine and more his. "Do you want the story to be about a ball or a dog? Is the dog’s name Brutus or Clifford?” I would ask.
Eric responds eagerly to a series of easily answered questions by using his eye gaze, a smile, or a yes/no response. When he got this year’s fourth grade writing assignments from the elementary school where he is fully included, the years we’d spent storytelling came in handy.
We found ourselves brainstorming the details of each new assignment before typing them on the computer, or writing them with my hand guiding his. The final story, including the title, characters, word choice and flow, were his.
What began years ago as one tired mom’s innocent reading blunder has resulted in some of our best childhood memories, moments that have fostered important learning skills and creativity and heightened my son’s positive self esteem.
Spend time storytelling with your own children and watch their imaginations soar.
Judy Winter is an award-winning journalist on disability issues and the recipient of the 2002 Exceptional Parent Award from the Michigan Federated Chapters of the Council for Exceptional Children.