A few weeks ago, I was a guest teacher at an elementary school in my area. I was asked to talk about the many careers that were required to put a book in the school library. The school leaders knew I was the creator of And y Ant and the mastermind behind the Adventures of Andy Ant. My audience included four different classes—totaling over 80 kindergarteners and first graders. Every 30 minutes another group 20 to 25 bright-eyed kids came into the library room where I was speaking.
As each class came in the room they were surrounded by hundreds of books geared for their age level. My job, as a grandfather of six, was to help these kids begin to realize all the many different jobs that were required for a book to be available to them to check out.
The first job that I introduced them to was the creator of ideas for a book. I told them how I created Andy Ant one night by using my imagination when my daughter was about three years old. That night she asked me not to read her a bedtime story, but to tell her a story. I was stuck. What would I talk about to a three-year-old? Then I remembered Proverbs 6:6 which I had memorized as a four-year-old: “…you should watch what the ants do and learn from them. Go to the ant… Observe its ways and become wise” EHV.
In the darkness of her room, I said, “Once upon a time there was an ant.” She interrupted me and said, “Dad, what was his name?” I thought for a minute. The only name that fit with ant was Andy, so I responded, “His name was Andy. Andy Ant.” Her next words were, “Good. What did he do?” That night, through my imagination, I created a way to teach her values and virtues at her level of understanding. Over the next three or four years I created hundreds of stories with a twist—and fourth-grade boy and his best friend, a fourth-grade ant!
These bedtime stories included her experiences, a value I wanted her to understand, and imagination. I began a journey of teaching life-lessons that were geared to her level of comprehension. Encourage your child or grandchild to use their imagination. There little minds will follow your example. Who was your “best friend when you were three or four? Tell your kids about your make-believe friend. Encourage them to be creative by your example. Let them dream wind and fun dreams. Allow them to collaborate with you.
Create your own new imaginary friend, just as I created Andy Ant. Ask your child to make up stories with you. When you learn about a new imaginary friend ask your child questions about this new friend. Find ways to teach life lessons by relating to these new friends that you cannot see. Don’t discourage your child from using imagination. Knowing that you are interested in his thoughts gives him confidence that you really care.
