Introduction

Who is Tammy Kersey? Like most of us, I’m still figuring it out, and this post is all about my most recent discovery journey that began 7 years ago and continues to unfold today.

I’ve always believed things happen for a reason, and we should trust and take advantage of the opportunities that life presents. Follow the path to see where it leads. My path to becoming a children’s picture book author was completely unplanned and unexpected. I never even imagined writing a children’s story. But, one day I lost my job and was launched into a period of rediscovery.

From Unemployment to Empowerment

Through those five months of unemployment, I realized – or remembered – I had the ability to take control of my life. To write my own story, so to speak. What started with a few LinkedIn articles about my new situation led not only to a career change, but also to ideas about a children’s story website, and then to three children’s stories. Each action I took pushed me farther down the path. The feeling of empowerment and freedom that I gained through this experience was something I wanted to share, and I felt it was important for others to experience this empowerment at an early age. That became the reason for and the purpose behind my Rascally Pup books.

The Power of Storytime

Children learn the fundamentals of life from day one.  Our hope is that in a loving home, they learn to trust. To love and be loved. To make decisions. To have faith in themselves. To foster relationships. To work well with others. To be sensitive. To be brave and strong. To try new things, but also know when to walk away. All of this with the end goal of successfully shaping their own lives to be who they want to be.  

Obviously, children don’t control their lives at a young age. But, how do we instill the ideas in children that will give them the empowerment they need as young adults? Storytime. It may seem a simple thing, but in those precious moments of sharing a story, we have the opportunity to foster anticipation, wonder, creative thoughts, questions, and ideas. 

What happens if we engage children in the “action” of storytime? Encourage them to ask questions. Ask them what they think. Have them retell the story their own way. Act it out. This type of engagement provides the avenue to build self-confidence, creativity, and a propensity to seek out and discover new options rather than accepting the story the way it is.  They’ll learn to write their own story.    

It is my hope and plan to build on this website with ideas and easy ways to make storytime more engaging. I hope you’re intrigued, and I hope you’ll follow my progress as I continue to follow the path.  I can’t tell you where it will lead, and that makes it all the more exciting!  – This is how I ended my original, first blog post in April 2020. 

Building a Community of Storytellers: Connecting Generations

Fast forward 5 years and the purpose of my rediscovery journey that began on that new path in 2018 has grown, becoming more clear and fine-tuned. The arrival of my first grandson and the experience of becoming a long-distance grandparent opened my eyes to the benefits of storytime as a means of connecting virtually with grandkids in engaging and memorable ways, no matter how far apart you may be. 

My goals haven’t really changed. It’s actually amazing to me how things have perfectly dovetailed together, becoming more refined and focused. With that focus, my hope is to offer more useful information and ideas to not only empower kids to develop their confidence and creativity, but to connect the grandchild / grandparent generations in more meaningful ways, particularly those who are separated by geographical distance. 

If you are a long-distance grandparent too, I hope you will join this virtual Grammy on the path to a lifelong, loving relationship with your grandkids built on a foundation of magical storytelling experiences. 

Get Started Today!

To begin your own storytelling journey, grab a copy of my free resource, Erase the Miles! It’s packed with tips and ideas to help you connect with your grandchildren through virtual storytimes. Click here to download your free copy and start creating treasured memories today! 

Empower your grandchild. Share a story!