The most important facet of any community, as far as making it healthy and strengthening it, is having good fathers. Fathers are the backbone of any civilization. Any tribe that will be successful in the long run. It’s a shame what our society often thinks of fathers and what they have done to them. But this is by design. You don’t attack that which is not a threat.
The concentration of hatred and attack against fathers and fatherhood is not on accident, it’s by design. Design to weaken bonds and make people more vulnerable and adrift. More vulnerable so that the many vultures and parasites of our society can better feed off them. Whether that be politicians, corporations, or the many others who use and abuse power to their own ends.
I’ve said there are two things that every father should do with their children, especially their sons, aside from investing in them everything that you have and spending as much time with them as possible. Those two things were roughhouse with them and read to them. Today I wanted to go over three types of stories that I’d encourage you to read to your children and that had a big impact on me.
The Stories Of Wonder & Learning
Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Aesops Fables, the mythologies of Greece, Rome, Europe, and more. These tales, fairy tales or whatever you wish to call them, have been passed down from generation to generation for a reason. Whether its Beowulf, The Iliad, or Goldilocks and the Three Bears. These stories are not just entertaining and steeped in culture but also have many lessons to teach that are best taught through story. I’d recommend starting with something like Aesop’s Fables, tales that have wisdom that is timeless and going from there.
There are many different versions and translations of the many tales of myth and fairy tales out there. Do some research on the ones that are closest to what you want. They will vary in what they focus on, the accuracy of the translations, and many other things. If you don’t know where to start I’d start with something like Aesops and Grimm’s, maybe Andrew Lang’s fairy tales. Then you go deeper into the mythology of your people if you want to go deeper there.
These tales are usually short and can be read before bed. I think that these tales are best heard orally as that’s how many of them were originally designed and how I think they have the biggest impact. Not that they can’t be read of course, just that I think some of the experience is lost. Bonus points for doing different voices for the characters and getting into it.
The Stories Of Heroes & Adventures
These ones will apply more to boys and more to when they are older. Tales of heroes like Conan, Tarzan, and the like. Books like King Solomon’s Mines. Many boys will want to read these books on their own when they are older. Some of these books deal with more mature things so you may edit a passage here or there or curb something or perhaps express it a little differently. But the tales of heroes overcoming great monsters or going on daring adventures is something that all boys should hear about from a young age.
Again, most likely your boys will read these later in life on their own, but you’re giving them a early taste that they’ll enjoy. Then in a few years they’ll have fond memories of these tales and want to revisit them. Robert E. Howard wrote many good books in this vein. So did Edgar Rice Burroughs, as well as Jules Verne. Howard Pyle has some good ones like Men Of Iron and we already mentioned H. Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines.
You’ll find many good books like these near the turn of the century. Stories of heroes and adventures. You may have some favorites from when you were a kid. Generally these books are made for children that are too old to be read to, but like I said introduce them early in the right way. It’s a pleasure to hear a tale told well and then read it later in life. Don’t underestimate what the young can comprehend either, especially if the tale is told well.
Stories Of Morality & God
I find it strange when someone follows a particular creed, religion, or what have you. But never studies the source material themselves. They expect a third party to interpret it to them and then give it to them in bite sized chunks every holy day. But that just doesn’t work, not if you truly care about a belief system. And if you’re going to espouse a system then you should know it, right? Many holy books have stories replete throughout them, story being the best way to teach since the dawn of mankind.
Reading these to your children will help to develop a sense of right from wrong and an understanding of the world that you both share. It’ll teach them young why you believe what you believe and being familiar with the source material. Also it will help them understand the faith and instead of blindly accepting it when young and then blindly rejecting it when old, they’ll have a nuanced understanding of the source material that’ll allow them to make their own informed decision and teach them right from a young age.
Read To Them
Read to your kids. Take the time for it. It makes a difference and is quality time that’ll never be forgotten. No to mention it’ll help them develop a love of reading which is one of the most important skills to success that they can develop. And also it’s wonderful bonding time. I still remember my father and mother reading to me and my brother. I still remember the tales and the impact that they had on me so young. It’s a shame so little of this is done anymore.
If you have children, read to them. They’ll always remember the times spent and the investment made.
If anything I said here interests you I’d highly recommend you check out The Ultimate Alpha Collection which is a compilation of 16 of my books for the price of 5. It covers everything from being a man to making money to getting the right mindset to getting girls to fighting and more and is a resource no man should be without. Pick up your copy today!
-Charles Sledge
