The power of fairy tales which empower and educate children

Today my blog is being taken over by Susan Day with her fascinating article about the power of fairy tales! Over to you, Susan.

Albert Einstein was quoted as saying, “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”

This is one of my favourite quotes. There is certainly something very powerful about fairy tales. They have changed generations of lives.

The words, fairy tale, conjure up all kinds of images of goblins, princes and princesses, dark, mysterious woods, and wild creatures. There are the good guys, the bad guys and lots of magic spells woven into these amazing tales.

Fairy tales help children move out of their everyday lives, and dream of greater possibilities. They introduce characters children can identify with and want to be like. They also give them some pretty scary characters children would certainly be best avoiding.

Best of all, fairy tales give children the hope that anything is possible. They teach lessons about good and bad behaviour, and give children a glimpse into the lives of other people and creatures.

Fairy tales teach us what not to do

One fairy tale which scared me half to death as a child was Bluebeard. I can remember being so frightened I started yelling out to warn Bluebeard’s new wife when she went into the forbidden room. I certainly learnt an important lesson about doing as I was told.

A male teacher I know used to terrify his students when he bellowed across the room:

Fee-fi-fo-fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman,
Be he alive, or be he dead
I’ll grind his bones to make my bread.

He made such an impact on his students, they never forget his loud voice, and the way he really enjoyed telling them the tale.

After studying, Women Who Run with Wolves, I became acutely aware of how fairy tales were used to warn children, and sometimes adults, of the dangers which exist in the world away from the safety of home.

Perhaps Little Red Riding Hood’s grandma wouldn’t have ended up coming to a sticky end if Red Riding Hood hadn’t told the wolf where she was going. What are we taught at a young age? Don’t talk to strangers.

And, Midas taught us about the evils of greed, while Rapunzel taught us about patience.

On a positive note, we learnt to trust in ourselves in The Ugly Duckling, and learnt how important it is to accept those who are different – you just don’t know how anyone will turn out.

Gender stereotypes in fairy tales

Lately, there has been a move to deconstruct fairy tales and examine the roles men and women play in them. I’m all for this because it means that children can reinterpret these ancient stories, and begin to own them in a way which best reflects our changing society.

Examining and exploring fairy tales will allow children to explore the sorts of expectations that each gender role has had in the past, and consider if they are relevant in today’s world. There may be very few princes or princesses around, but children can take on board the importance of taking care of themselves, becoming self-sufficient, and being independent. Why can’t young girls dress like princesses, wear a crown, all while studying astrophysics? Why can’t the prince be rescued by his princess?

Modern fairy tales have a place too

Today, there are many great writers creating modern fairy tales. They are taking the old concepts and weaving interesting stories which are set to entertain and delight young readers.

Importantly, these writers are giving children tools from which they can build their own dreams. They are offering role models for young girls and boys based on gender roles which are more flexible and more suitable to their needs.

Whatever fairy tales influenced your ideas as a child, the good thing is they are still playing that same role for children today, but in a deeper, more expressive method.

About the author – Susan Day

Susan Day is a children’s author and writer. Her blog, Astro’s Adventures Book Club, is full of ideas and tips for grandparents who want to build a strong relationship with their grandchildren. In particular, Susan specializes in helping grandparents share their love of books with their grandchildren. Susan is currently writing a book titled, The Top 10 Things Happy Grandparents Never Regret Doing!

Susan lives in country Australia with four dogs, three boss cats, three rescue guinea pigs, and an errant kangaroo. And, apart from blogging, writing and reading; she loves drinking coffee, painting and learning to box.