The stories we repeatedly tell become canonical to the family.
That is to say, they lay a foundation for our family teachings
Our parenting canon–from the Greek kanan, meaning measuring rod–sets a standard for our children and helps them stretch their capacities and grow their reach.
Heroic stories form a part of every culture’s original canon, seeding the child’s imagination for the possibility of wild feats and magical skills.
The Celtic legends of Finn Mac Cool and his unbelievable journey towards adulthood. The trickster antics of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King of China. The hilarious, inventive and courageous adventures of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. The wildly autonomous and unruly Pippi Longstocking from Sweden.
Stories such as these–and there are so many from the rich lore of our ancestors–teach our children in ways we may not be able to.