Retired Navy Admiral William McClover was the architect of the mission that pursued Osama bin Laden. He is also a bestselling author. Now, McCraven and his daughter, Kelly, are thinking about storytelling with their children.
William: When I was a boy, my father, an Air Force fighter pilot, told stories before bedtime, crafted characters and weaved them into exciting stories of adventure. Every story had morality. Elmer the Elves were always honest and kind and helped the underprivileged. Freddie the Frog was brave, heroic, and saved people from aliens and bad guys.
I waited for new adventures every night, but I didn’t know I was learning lessons either.
When I became a father, I wanted to pass on the tradition to my children, including my daughter Kelly.
Family photos
KELLEY: When my siblings and I were kids, my dad loved telling us stories. Every night I was eager to see him arrive and was excited to hear a new story.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that these stories were more than just funny. They were carefully crafted to teach us the valuable morals and lessons we wanted to bring into our everyday lives. He was now handing them over, just as his own father had taught him these lessons.
William: Now, as parents, we want our children to grow up to be thoughtful, kind, generous, honest, hardworking and courageous. I hope that if we are doing the right thing in life, they will learn these lessons by looking at us.
But the stories we tell them at a young age play an important role in their development. Telling them the stories of boys and girls like them to them, if they can overcome the challenges by being honest, noble and courageous, they are more likely to grow into admiring and demonstrating these qualities.
Kelly: I have always understood the power of storytelling, but as a new mother, I know even more about how important it is to continue the family tradition of reading for my daughter. During times of decline in reading levels and rising screen time, it is more important than ever to share stories that teach valuable lessons in fun and engaging ways.
Small, brown books for young readers
William: Translating my adult books into books for children was a natural evolution and an important mission for me. All of my adult books are trying to convey the values ​​we believe will make better citizens, leaders and humans better.
I’m trying to capture those same themes in a children’s book. Whether it’s the wisdom of naval seal training or the power of simple acts like making your bed, the stories we tell our children and grandchildren can make our lives better.
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A story created by Robert Marston. Editor: Ed Gibnish.
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