My 3-year-old daughter came to see what I – her mama – was working on so intently. It was a warm sunny day, and we haven’t had many of those yet, and here I was, sitting in the backyard, typing away on my laptopĀ (I’m writing my second novel). She told me she wanted to write a story as well! I looked atĀ her and then pulled her onto my lap.

The Pretty Princess Bedtime Story
Ariel was not tired.
Dadda said, “You have to go to bed.” And, he made an angry face.
And she said, “No. I do not want to go to bed. Now, please let me play all by myself.”
(So the Dadda thought, and thought, and thought some more. Then, he had an idea.
“Would you like to be a Bedtime Princess?” he asked.)
Ariel said, “I want to go to bed now, Dadda.”
The sentences in brackets are my words – the rest is hers entirely! Not bad for a just turned three year old!
Now, I’ll just have to find an illustrator – lucky for us, there is one in the family! (hint hint.) You can find her here: acorn mama .
Oh, and we have to write it first, of course…
This experience has me wondering why I never did this before.
I do all different types of art with the kids, and I read to them ALL the time, why had I never thought to have them write a story, especially since I am writer?
May 23, 2009 at 1:21 am
How sweet!
Mary Shelley’s mother was a writer, so I am convinced that there’s some genetic propensity for the craft that has yet to be identified by scientists!
April 23, 2010 at 3:33 am
What a lovely story and what a good idea to have them tell their story.
I’m looking forward to more stories.