A story that everyone should hear — both children and adults.
Anita Vayakanti is a child perinatal psychologist, author of the “Power of Fairy Tales” project, and author of two books with the same title, “The Power of Fairy Tales.”
Each fairy tale contains a key, a positive message about the inner strength of a child.
Each story is based on a powerful positive belief, which, thanks to the recommendations at the end of the tale, can become an inner core and support for the child.
This format of fairy tales gently guides and helps children to better understand themselves, and parents to raise their children and create an atmosphere of trust.
The author draws particular attention to the fact that when reading a fairy tale to your son or daughter, be sure to change the main character to a boy or girl.
It is also welcome to add details from your child’s life — this enhances the effect of the fairy tale.
Before you start reading, we recommend that you read the description, where you will find useful tips for parents.
Positive belief: “The strength of my family is always with me.”
In a small village surrounded by forests and mountains, there lived a girl named Lina. She was dreamy and cheerful, and from childhood she loved to dance to the singing of birds in the forest meadows. Her mother often hugged her after each dance and said:
— You are our little star, Lina. Remember, you are part of our family, and we are always there for you. Our strength lies in you.
When Lina turned ten, she got the chance to study at a prestigious ballet school far from home.
It was her dream, and her mum and dad, although nervous, let her go to the big city, understanding how important it was for her.
The night before she left, her mum hugged Lina tightly and pointed to the brightest star in the night sky.
“Lina, look at that star. If you ever feel sad or lonely, remember: I will be looking at it too, and we will be together, no matter how far away you are.”
Lina, trying to remember her mother’s words, set off to pursue her dream. But the new school turned out to be more difficult than she could have imagined. Her classmates easily mastered the dance moves, while Lina often stumbled and lost her place.
She tried her best, but the other girls began to notice her mistakes and tease her.
“You’re definitely not cut out for ballet,” a girl named Mia once told her.
“Maybe you should quit?”
These words hurt Lina deeply. She felt hurt and sad, and she left the hall with her head down. That evening, feeling lonely and lost, she went out onto the balcony and, looking up at the night sky, remembered her mother’s words. She remembered how her mother had told her that their strength was always with her.
“Mum… I miss you so much,” Lina whispered quietly, looking at the very star her mother had shown her before she left.
Suddenly, it seemed to her that the star shone even brighter, and a warm feeling filled her heart. Lina thought about her family and remembered how her grandmother had told her that her curls were a gift from her great-grandmother, and her resilience was from her great-grandfather, who never gave up, no matter what.
She smiled as she remembered that her infectious laugh was a gift from her father, who always laughed loudly and cheered everyone up with his laughter.
Lina felt that her family was truly close to her. Their love was her strength, invisible and tangible only to her, like a warm embrace.
The next day, Lina returned to the gym with renewed energy. She continued to work hard, not giving up even when she failed at something. When she was teased, she did not give in to the ridicule. Her confidence became noticeable, and even Mia, who had previously laughed at her, was surprised.
Once, when Lina stumbled again and Mia tried to laugh at her, Lina calmly looked at her and said:
“I may be wrong sometimes, but I have a strength that always supports me. It’s my family, and their love is always with me.”
Lina’s words sounded so firm and confident that Mia fell silent and stopped trying to hurt her. Gradually, Lina began to make new friends — the girls started to approach her and help her with difficult movements.
They saw how hard she was trying and wanted to support her too. Lina learned to feel the strength of her family and was no longer afraid of mistakes, knowing that their support and love were always with her.
Finally, the day of her first performance arrived. Lina stood backstage, nervous before going on stage. She looked at the auditorium and her heart fluttered when she saw her mum and dad in the audience. They had come to support her on this important day.
Her mum smiled at her and pointed upwards, as if reminding Lina of the star.
“We are with you,” she whispered.
Lina took a deep breath and at that moment felt that her whole family was behind her. She closed her eyes and imagined that her mother, father, grandmother and even her ancestors, whose strength flowed in her blood, were beside her. She felt this invisible support lift her above the stage, giving her strength.
With these thoughts, Lina stepped onto the stage and began to dance. Each step she took was filled with confidence, each turn was full of warmth. Her movements were light and graceful, and her eyes shone with joy.
The audience couldn’t take their eyes off Lina, feeling that her dance came straight from the heart.
After the performance, her mum and dad approached her with admiration. They were surprised at how their little Lina had changed — she had become strong and confident.
Lina, looking at her parents, whispered quietly:
— The strength of my family is always with me.
Addressing the child:
The strength of your family (child’s name) is always with you, my love, the love of your mum/dad, grandmother, grandfather, great-grandmother, great-grandfather and all of our ancestors. Thanks to this great love, you came into being, you are here, and we are all happy that you exist. I love you and will always be your mum (dad). The strength of our family is with you and within you.
Recommendations:
- Look through photos of your entire family together with your child.
- Tell family stories that will help your child feel the strength of family ties.
For example, tell your child how his/her grandmother or grandfather met, or the love story between you and his/her father (mother). Tell the child who he/she resembles. End these conversations with the words:
“You have the strength of your ancestors, and they are always with you, inside you”…
A complete list of recommendations and other fairy tales with messages are available in the e-book.
Link to the book(s) in the profile header