Timeless Classics: Shared Memories in Children's Books and Media

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“The books transported her into a new world and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives.” – Matilda by Roald Dahl

The Boy who Cried Wolf, The Giving Tree, Where the Wild Things are, Mother Goose, The Princess and the Pea, Charlotte’s Web, The Very Hungry Caterpillar: all titles that ring up childhood memories. From ancient fables to modern classics, many of these stories create a shared memory. This phenomenon spreads beyond books as well. Sesame Street holds a special place in all of us. What is it about these books and shows that root themselves in our collective personality?

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They provide educational content through their entertainment value. These timeless classics teach language, listening, creative skills, and critical thinking while painting a picture in your mind. For example, Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham teaches rhyming, literary heritage, and storytelling. When a parent sits on their child’s bed every night with a story like Green Eggs and Ham, they are not just lulling their child to sleep but cleverly expanding their vocabulary through a fun story. These language basics are cleverly woven into a creative and colorful story.

Sesame Street is a great example of instilling skills into infants and young children during the formative years. By watching the letter of the day and songs like C is for Cookie allow children to expand their vocabulary. When children gain a few years, they start reading chapter books like E.B White’s Charlotte’s Web, where they digest and respond to a story in their own voice. We develop critical thinking skills from these books, understanding the story and having our own thoughts about it.

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This doesn’t just mean educational subjects or skills. Children’s stories also promote emotional intelligence and social development. Children are impressionable at such a young age. In the first year of development, children learn personality, relationships, and functioning and an excellent way to teach them is through reading to them. A story like Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling teaches us to not judge a book by its cover and to find those who accept you for who you are, something that carries through adulthoods. A child reading this may not fully appreciate it. However, it leaves an impression on our consciousness, and we still reference it and teach it.

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Our shared memory in these stories is passed down from generation to generation. Their legacy lets us reminisce about books and television shows that were impactful on our development. When times get rough, remember that we all once read stories like A.A Milne’s Winnie the Pooh and watched shows like Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. These books and shows connect us through a shared memory even if we didn’t experience it together. The lessons we learn from them are eternal and span across all people and generations.