A Short Story Written by My Child

Many of you will know how much I love to write and tell stories. I make up stories for the kids and encourage them to do the same. Tyler has been especially keen on doing this and has written quite a few in his little notebooks. He is a stationary addict with various different notebooks for different things. He loves to write these stories and we chat about them. His teacher has also been really pleased with his progress and put this particular story up on the wall at school. Tyler and I spend time doing this when Aria is asleep and Lucas is at training, it’s a lovely way for us to bond. We talk about characters, the problems they may face and how he can build his story. I never tell him what to write, I just listen and then help if he feels he needs it. His imagination is incredible, it’s a real joy.

Center Parcs was in touch with me last year and asks us to write a short story with a small brief. They have a campaign called #JustImagine which encourages creativity, action and imagination through children using their own imagination to provide entertainment away from screens. Centre Parcs prides itself on holidays that focus on family time, enjoying the time together making memories away from the daily strains and screen time.

Tyler got to work on his short story which was to be 250 words or less using the following guidelines:-

•  An interesting/unusual main character (anything from a caveman to an astronaut)
• This character has an unexpected characteristic or quirk (a phobia, an allergy, an obsession?)
• Character has to overcome a challenge (e.g. complete a task, defeat a foe)
• An unexpected ending

We spent some time chatting about the brief and what he was going to come up with. I have to say I was a proud mummy that he went for a vampire story. I too used to write stories about vampires as a child. Every year I’d enter the Post Office competition, back in the 80’s where you wrote a story in the form of a letter. I loved it and I may have shed a wee tear of joy when I read his. I was so chuffed I created some basic illustrations with Tyler. It was fun to play around with something like this. I’m no illustrator, I loved to draw, but nothing like this.  I hope you like his wee story and I’m sure he’d love to know what you think.

THE SAD VAMPIRE – BY TYLER MANN AGE 8

Once upon a time lived a vampire called Mitchell and he didn’t like blood. He’d tried it, but it brought him out in big green spots and made him sick. His family kicked him out saying he wasn’t a real vampire Mitchell was hungry and sad and he had no family.

He walks through the streets crying looking for something to eat and somewhere to sleep before morning. He comes across a can of cola and tried it and his tummy was getting sore.

Mitchell went to the shop and saw lots of red things and the first one he tries is an apple he bit in and spat it out, disgusting. He tries tomato sauce and got a big red rash. Then he tries tomato, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, peppers and he even tried lobster. The owner got very angry and threw him out.

Mitchell had big tears rolling down his cheeks when he was walking to football and there he met a boy vampire and they started playing football. Mitchell’s tummy rumbled and he stopped. The boy asked why he stopped. Mitchell said he was starving. The boy said he didn’t have any blood as it made him sick. Mitchell’s face lit up, he told him his story about being thrown out of his home.

The boy pulled out a tub of red jelly. “Here try this?” He said. Mitchell tried it and a big smile crossed his face. He loved it. The boy asked Mitchell to come live with him and his family and he could eat all the red jelly he wanted. Mitchell lived happily ever after.

I think he did an amazing job of writing his story. It’s not perfect, but he read through and picked out any errors and best of all he loved doing it. We made the illustrations and had fun with it. Who doesn’t love a happy ending and a jelly-loving vampire? I am one proud mummy and hope to encourage him to do more. What do you think?

Disclaimer:- This story was written for the Center Parcs #JustImagine campaign