Robyn Fivush

Most of the stories, and we're talking about, you know, a 35, 40-minute dinnertime conversation, most of the stories are what are called today I stories. So most of these table conversations were four, five people. So you're coming back together at the end of the day, and you want to weave yourself back together as a family. So a lot of it is, tell me about your day. What happened?

And, you know, we got what we expected. How was your math test? Did you make up with Jenny after your fight yesterday? But what also surprised us is that the parents also talked about their day with their children. They talked about what happened at work or what happened in their social life. So they are starting to open up the world for their teenagers. This is what an adult world looks like.

And, you know, we got what we expected. How was your math test? Did you make up with Jenny after your fight yesterday? But what also surprised us is that the parents also talked about their day with their children. They talked about what happened at work or what happened in their social life. So they are starting to open up the world for their teenagers. This is what an adult world looks like.

And, you know, we got what we expected. How was your math test? Did you make up with Jenny after your fight yesterday? But what also surprised us is that the parents also talked about their day with their children. They talked about what happened at work or what happened in their social life. So they are starting to open up the world for their teenagers. This is what an adult world looks like.

This is the world you're going to be developing into, right? It's not just your perspective on the world. I'm telling you stories about my world. So it's really opening the world up for them. So that's a lot of it. But then about a third of the stories are these family stories where the family –

This is the world you're going to be developing into, right? It's not just your perspective on the world. I'm telling you stories about my world. So it's really opening the world up for them. So that's a lot of it. But then about a third of the stories are these family stories where the family –

This is the world you're going to be developing into, right? It's not just your perspective on the world. I'm telling you stories about my world. So it's really opening the world up for them. So that's a lot of it. But then about a third of the stories are these family stories where the family –

is talking about something is said and somebody says, and it's just as frequently the child as the parent. That's like when we went to grandma's last Thanksgiving and then they start talking about that. Or that's like when we went to see Jaws. And embedded in those conversations, you get family history. where parents will start talking about when they were children or their grandparents' lives.

is talking about something is said and somebody says, and it's just as frequently the child as the parent. That's like when we went to grandma's last Thanksgiving and then they start talking about that. Or that's like when we went to see Jaws. And embedded in those conversations, you get family history. where parents will start talking about when they were children or their grandparents' lives.

is talking about something is said and somebody says, and it's just as frequently the child as the parent. That's like when we went to grandma's last Thanksgiving and then they start talking about that. Or that's like when we went to see Jaws. And embedded in those conversations, you get family history. where parents will start talking about when they were children or their grandparents' lives.

And then it turns out the families that told more of these everyday stories were, in fact, doing better. But what really predicted good functioning, both for the family and for the child, were the family stories.

And then it turns out the families that told more of these everyday stories were, in fact, doing better. But what really predicted good functioning, both for the family and for the child, were the family stories.

And then it turns out the families that told more of these everyday stories were, in fact, doing better. But what really predicted good functioning, both for the family and for the child, were the family stories.

So families that tell more stories show more trust and community within the family. Then specific to the child, children within families that tell more of these stories... and particularly tell them in a certain way, and I do want to come back to that, have higher self-esteem. They have higher academic competence. They're doing better in school. They have higher social competence.

So families that tell more stories show more trust and community within the family. Then specific to the child, children within families that tell more of these stories... and particularly tell them in a certain way, and I do want to come back to that, have higher self-esteem. They have higher academic competence. They're doing better in school. They have higher social competence.

So families that tell more stories show more trust and community within the family. Then specific to the child, children within families that tell more of these stories... and particularly tell them in a certain way, and I do want to come back to that, have higher self-esteem. They have higher academic competence. They're doing better in school. They have higher social competence.

They are more socially skilled. And in later research, because, of course, we followed up on this first study with lots and lots of research, as they get older and you can start to assess...

They are more socially skilled. And in later research, because, of course, we followed up on this first study with lots and lots of research, as they get older and you can start to assess...

They are more socially skilled. And in later research, because, of course, we followed up on this first study with lots and lots of research, as they get older and you can start to assess...

more mature aspects of well-being, like a sense of agency, a sense of maturity, a sense of meaning and purpose in life, all of that is higher for children and adolescents and young adults who know more of these family stories.