Adapt the story for the audience

One of the things that I've been doing since the beginning is changing the stories I've read Alice to match what I want her to learn. Some times it's just gender swapping for the "About a boy" series of books by Oliver Jeffers. I wanted her to feel that the protagonist was about her, could be her. It's been important to me.

There once was a girl who loved stars very much...

Others stories like Olivia (who is a bit of a brat), I change it so that she doesn't get her way with her parents. Her parents are firm, and in my telling her parents don't give in. Having a toddler is a challenge enough without teaching them that they can always get their way if they just talk more. Ugg.

Other stories just wrong in that they teach unsafe practices. No, you can't pile in toys in your younger child's crib or take the stroller (containing said sibling) for a walk.

I want our kids to know that they can be the hero of their own stories and be able to relate to the ones they read about. I want them to be safe and learn the social rules that I am trying to teach. They can be the hero. I'll be the quirky old wizard. That should work. ;-)