Bedtime Stories

Bedtime stories, whatever form they take, are a universal tradition found on nearly every planet. Parents, grandparents, siblings, and other caregivers use these to keep their charges quiet while going to sleep.

History

Bedtime stories are some of the oldest traditions in existence, told in every single culture in the galaxy for thousands of years. It is unknown when exactly they began. Many believe they have been around since the very beginning of language. They have been told on every planet, from Jaque to Haspanic and even Denironia.

Stories are universal. On every planet, there are stories.

— The Storyteller

Starting around 8000 BPC or even earlier, many cultures started to record stories originally told orally in books, scrolls, and other documents. However, they continued to be told. Many things changed about how they were told, but the core of the tradition remained: bedtime stories were a way to calm children before they fell asleep or to make them fall asleep.

Execution

The melody of Naida's lullaby by Lilliana Casper

In their current form, bedtime stories take this general order: after preparing for bed, the child sits on or lies in their bed. The parent (or other caregiver) often sits next to them on the bed or the floor, occasionally in a chair off to the side. Sometimes the caregiver asks the child for any story requests. Once parent and child are situated, the parent will begin.
Stories often begin with "once upon a time" but some parents have their own openings. Bedtime stories are usually simple, repetitive, or soothing, using familiar names, places, or objects to increase a sense of comfort and relatability. Very rarely do these quiet tales end sadly or include frightening elements. At the end of the story, the caregiver tells the child goodnight and leaves. Many will stay until the child falls asleep, singing or rubbing their back.

Participants

Bedtime stories need only two people: a child and their caregiver. Sometimes the stories are told to multiple children in the same room. Other times the storyteller will move room to room and tell each child a story. The caregiver (usually a parent, but siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, or other guardians can tell stories) tells the story and the child listens. While the story is meant to comfort and soothe children, many caregivers will feel a sense of calm from simply telling the story.